Sally Allen: 'I believe honesty is the best policy'

A good example is Dame (why?) Alison Rose, who told a BBC reporter at a dinner, the reason why Nigel Farage’s bank account had been closed. Not only did she leave him with the wrong impressions of why it had happened, but it was also quite a heinous crime, as she was breaking one of the oldest principles in banking; that banks must protect the privacy and confidentiality of their customers. We all rely on it, and it is similar in importance to the Hippocratic Oath of the medical profession. As a society, we should stop rewarding failure. Rose should not receive a multi-million-pound payout, particularly as her 'error of judgment' has seen £1 billion wiped-off NatWest’s shares of which, we own 39 per cent. So, the public suffer yet again. Shocking.

These days apparent porkies, white lies, plain lies, untruths or misspeaks are everyday occurrences. I was brought up with guidelines based on a few basic phrases. 'Honesty is the best policy' and 'tell the truth and shame the devil' to list but two. It is surely just easier to tell the truth, however bad it is, than mislead or try and hoodwink people.

Whatever the reason for telling porkies, they do have a habit of coming out of the woodwork and biting you on the bum. In short, it is never worth it. Plus, if your memory is anything like mine, it is pointless as I wouldn’t be able to remember anything as complicated as a porkie.

The other common thing these days is to blame someone else – rightfully or wrongly. Either way it is not a good look. Recently, I have been taking an interest in the workings of our Council and the blame game appears to be going on apace. One issue appears to be the current administration taking issue with the last lot for staging private sessions - meaning that the public and press should be excluded from selected meetings. One I have heard about was apparently “due to matters of a commercially sensitive nature”. Sorry?? How can the Council, no matter how well-meaning, be allowed to keep good or bad news from us poor and befuddled residents? Patronising at best and unprofessional and/or duplicitous at worst. All the workings of the Council and its members should be an open book, which can be investigated and scrutinised by any member of the public at any time. Afterall, we do pay their salaries.

It now appears that virtually all the most important projects in Torbay are currently in limbo. I am aware that there is nowhere near enough cash to start or finish most of them, but decisions must be made as soon as possible as to what is going to be done and what isn’t. Limbo is not a good place for the town to languish in.

David Thomas, the leader of the Council, was emphatic that the new administration would “deliver”. So, I am keen to know when? I was heartened on asking him about the Palace Hotel debacle that the Council have not yet received a request for planning permission to change from a 5-star hotel to more housing (rabbit hutches!!). But we still don’t know where we stand with the Fragrance Group on this issue.

Meanwhile, wouldn’t it be a good idea for the Council to co-opt some experienced talent from the area to help advise on difficult issues? It could certainly help in avoiding schoolboy errors like not checking the credentials of companies looking to do business in the town or staging festivals. It would be considerably less expensive than hiring outside management consultants at daft sums of money. The talent in the town naturally has Torbay’s best interests at heart, rather than an out-of-town business increasing their bottom line. They will also be only too aware of the numerous pitfalls.

As I have said many times before, if only the local Council could become apolitical and everyone who is elected, no matter what their political persuasion, genuinely voted for what is best for the town rather than holding the party line, we and Torbay would be much better off.