History teaches us that every court had a jester. With the protection of the monarch or nobleman who employed him, the jester had licence to do whatever he pleased such as insulting, bullying, victimising, plotting against and sexually abusing members of the court.
In keeping with her decidedly medieval approach to governing Thanet District Council, former Chief Executive Madeline Homer, also employed her very own court jester Corporate Director, Gavin Waite.
According to whistle-blowers, the trade unions, and several confidential investigations Waite exhibited all of the pernicious and harmful behaviours typical of a court jester of ye olde tymes.
But now that Homer has been deposed from the court of Thanet District Council what future awaits her once beloved court jester Waite? By the looks of things it’s not very promising.
History recounts that once the court jester’s employer and protector was gone, those who he insulted, abused and harassed invariably turn on him with a powerful vengeance. I already detect stirrings of anger and score settling directed at jester Waite from within the court of Thanet District Council. I have been put on standby to expect many astonishing revelations about him which may be career ending.
And don’t forget, hurtling down the tracks at speed are the 2021-22 external audit report and the independent investigation of Waite’s management, or more accurately mismanagement, of the massively overspent Ramsgate Port Berth 4/5 replacement project. I have a feeling that the outcome of these matters will be less than favourable for court jester Waite.
Without the support of his once powerful, now powerless, girlfriend Homer I doubt jester Waite will survive the rapidly approaching onslaught. Unlike his former protector Homer, I doubt that the court of Thanet District Council will be generous in their victory. Whilst Homer got several bags of gold as a goodbye present, not a groat will he get to leave the court. Indeed, I strongly suspect he will resign as court jester before the knives of revenge are wielded.
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