Penketh Carnival row: ‘Vicious attacks’, Shakespeare and ‘shocking aggression’

The issue was raised during last Wednesday’s Penketh Parish Council meeting and sparked an emotional response from borough and parish councillor Linda Dirir.

Cllr Dirir, who is a member of the Penketh Events Team which organises the carnival, addressed the ‘festering’ rumours, as well as the ‘vicious attacks’ on her family that have been posted on a Penketh community Facebook page.

And in a bizarre twist, she also quoted a verse from William Shakespeare's play, Othello.

Cllr Linda Dirir

During the meeting, she said: "Who steals my purse steals trash, 'tis something, nothing.

"Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands.

"But he that filches from me my good name, robs me of that which not enriches him, and makes me poor indeed."

The events team has been pressed over the finances for the popular carnival, which takes place on the parish council-owned Greystone Recreation Ground.

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It confirmed the income from last year's carnival totalled £4,042 and the outgoings totalled £2,740 – with the surplus to be reinvested into this year's event on July 13.

The community showcase dates back to 1977 but was resurrected in 2007 – thanks to Cllr Dirir, her late husband Allin and volunteers – following a hiatus.

Entry to the event is free, with an estimated 4,000 people attending last year.

The fallout from last Wednesday’s parish council meeting has continued into this week, with Labour's Cllr Dirir launching a stinging attack on the independent councillors in the area.

She said: "The Penketh independents operate as a party, they appear not to act as a number of separate individuals.

“We understand they are not, as yet, officially registered but they do communicate with each other and have a shared political agenda.

"We believe some of the people behind the attacks, hurtful comments and malicious gossip on this Facebook page are connected to this Penketh Independent Party.

"Along with questions being raised over where the money is going – the surplus is used to pay up front for bookings/insurance for the following year – it was suggested that thousands and thousands of pounds had been made from the event because it was so well attended, which is false.”

Cllr Dirir also issued a reminder to those behind the social media posts over the potential repercussions of their actions.

She said: "Penketh Carnival is one of my husband's legacies as he was a founder member of the events team.

"I will not allow my name, my late husband's name, the reputation of my family and the reputations of the very honest and hard-working volunteers to be maligned in this way on social media.

“As with other forms of journalism and mainstream media, Facebook and Twitter contributors need to be aware of the consequences when they publish false allegations and outlandish claims.”

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But independent borough and parish councillor Geoff Fellows, along with independent parish councillors Craig Lenihan, Dale Solan-Cooper and Christine Wych have hit back.

Cllr Fellows believes 'we have no need' for politics in Penketh.

He says: "The upset at the last election must have been a difficult pill to swallow, especially as the leaders and main characters of the council had free rein for so long.

Cllr Geoff Fellows

“The recent council meeting highlighted to me and I’m sure many others in the room, a sort of pack mentality when individual residents, of no party affiliation whatsoever, dared to step up and ask questions, or express dissatisfaction when questions were left unanswered.

“Residents’ questions were rushed through and the audience was hushed when it tried to speak.

“It didn’t feel as inclusive and as open and transparent as it should feel especially in this age of technology and 24-7 communication.

“It’s therefore no wonder that this then spilled out into social media forums and groups online with frustrations running so high, especially when people felt like they were being silenced rather than being engaged with.”

Furthermore, Cllr Fellows says ‘we can’t continue to let a group, made up of some councillors and third parties, think that they can bypass the normal channels and proper due process’ of requesting access to parish property.

He added: "I haven’t seen any comments, anywhere, where the quality of the day at Penketh Carnival has come into question and I have not seen one comment where anyone has suggested that the carnival should cease, in fact what I have seen is that it’s currently the highlight of the social calendar and long may that continue.

"But we can’t shy away from the fact that what I have also seen, is something that can only really come from an organised group of people, in this case the Labour Party, who have called people out as trolls and enlisted targeted members to round up and silence the debate."

And Cllr Lenihan dismissed Cllr Dirir's claims that the independents in Penketh are a party.

He said: "This is factually incorrect and a baseless allegation made by a person who is clearly threatened by the positive and proactive work the new councillors have carried out within our community.

Cllr Craig Lenihan

"As for communicating with the independent councillors, I do.

"In fact, I communicate with all active councillors within our parish, whilst that is certainly not all of them it is not a party divide but one of commitment.

“With regards to the Penketh Carnival, I have been a vocal supporter of the Penketh Carnival for many years and regularly attend.

“I think the group who organise it pull off a fantastic feat to produce a show which has outshone neighbouring parishes year after year.

“With regards to the criticism the carnival received on social media, there were a small section of the community who were out to vilify the organisers for reasons unknown.”

Cllr Solan-Cooper, who resigned from the Labour Party in October, has also responded to Cllr Dirir's statement.

He says: “It is clear from the comments below that there are some members of our parish council who perceive the four independent councillors as a threat to the status quo in Penketh, of which the Labour Party have had the overall majority for years.

Cllr Dale Solan-Cooper

"I find it deplorable to be labelled as part of a group behind attacks, hurtful comments and malicious gossip towards other members of the council and my community.

"The carnival is a fantastic opportunity to bring our community together – I have attended for many years and in 2018 worked as a volunteer on the day."

Cllr Wych added: "When I attended the parish council meeting last Wednesday I was shocked at the level of aggression, accusations and dramatisation from some Labour Party councillors towards the independent councillors regarding Penketh Carnival.

“I have lived in Penketh for over 30 years but until I was elected to the parish council last October I, like many other Penketh residents, always assumed the carnival was organised and run by the parish council as it takes place on parish council land.

Cllr Christine Wych

"I know that many social media comments are inaccurate and obnoxious and I find these disgusting.

"However, I see nothing inappropriate in suggesting clarification of the financial aspect of the carnival as this would serve to enlighten those like myself."