Undeterred by the shambles he made of the council organised bonfire events, Cllr Richard Marshall is at it again.
Smethwick’s own version of Simon Cowell announced the holding of a German market in West Bromwich.
Birmingham’s long established German market had become “a kind of drinking den” Cllr Marshall told the Express and Star [19th November]. Probably, it’s also frequented by layabouts who don’t pay their council tax. Should any gluvine be dispensed in West Brom, could someone make sure that Cllr Marshall knows glue is not an ingredient?
Sandwell, promised Cllr. Marshall, would do better than Birmingham. Now open, the event has been rebranded in ads as a “mini continental festive market”, presumably to lower expectations.
But boasts of this kind always cost Sandwell council tax payers dear.
Remember the millions squandered on the Public and the assurances that it would make West Brom a world cultural centre?
Still it’s a miracle that cash cut Sandwell council can always find the readies for publicity stunts to promote itself or secure the election of its Labour councillors. While engaged in a funding battle with Sandwell Leisure Trust which runs regular leisure facilities in the borough, Cllr Marshall always has something in his council back pocket for these self-serving stunts.
The market’s ferris wheel and fairground organ are operated by the Jones family (rebranded the Von Joneses for the event). The family are the operators of the Black Country Museum fair, not the dynasty of Sandwell councillors.
Market visitors are advised not to be alarmed should they hear cries of ”Der Fuhrer”. It’s not a German invasion in answer to Brexit, just a rare visit to West Brom of Sandwell Labour leader Cllr. Steve Eling.
Rumour claims his toadies have been instructed to address him in German as “Fuhrer” rather than in English as “Leader” to give the event a teutonic flavour. It may be a tag that is difficult to lose.