On the 12th May 2006 Shepway District Council announced its Forward Plan. Cllr Monk is named. He was Deputy Leader of SDC and Cabinet member for Corporates Services. His adress was The Old Mill Lyminge according to SDC’s website.
Cllr Monk continues in his position as Deputy Leader through 2006 and early 2007, attending Cabinet, Full Council and other meetings. By the 1st May 2007, Cllr Monk has become Cabinet Member For Finance. His address has changed and he has now moved to 23 Minter Avenue, Densole, according to SDC’s website.
According to the Land Register Mrs Monk did not buy 23 Minter Avenue until21st April 2008. Were Mr & Mrs Monk renting?
Cllr Monk was a sitting SDC Councillor between 2006 and 2008. He collected allowances and was not absent without leave, according to SDC’s website.
“In 2006, the medical practice (Premier Healthcare) was taken over by a national company and Gill left because she did not agree with some of the changes it proposed. It was time for a change.
With David ready to retire, the couple agreed on a “life laundry”. They sold their home, cars and furniture (putting essentials into an old shipping container on a farm) and set off for New Zealand for anextended holiday.
“It was the best thing we ever did. I thoroughly recommend anyone to just take stock and follow their heart,” she said. “We returned in January 2008 refreshed and ready for a new challenge.”
According toSDC website this “extended holiday“, doesn’t seem to have happened for Cllr Monk. It appears that Cllr Monk signed papers, attended meetings, dealt with constituents and collected his allowances and expenses for 06/07. In 2007/08 he collected £12,905.
So Cllr Monk according to his wife, Gillian had up stick’s and left the UK to for an “extended holiday” in New Zealand and returned in Jan 2008.
Not long enough to cause a by-election because of the six months of non-attendance to meetings rule. So under Six months. Hmmm, SDC’s own published documentation shows Cllr Monk to be here in the UK according to many, many Council Documents throughout late 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Now another strange thing is that SDC’s website declares Cllr Monk’s home address to be on the 1st May 2007 as 23 Minter Avenue, Densole. As we said the Land Register title deed says it became Mrs Monk’s mortgaged home on the 21/04/2008.
So how could David & Gillian (pictured) be in New Zealand and at 23 Minter Avenue Densole?
In Jan 08, the Monks’s returned to the UK after their “extended holiday” according to Gillian ” refreshed and ready for a new challenge.” They returned to Dymchurch a place called The Nest; which according to Gillian was a “tiny holiday home in New Romney”. The address is given on the title deed for 23 Minter Avenue.
Between selling their home in Lyminge in 2006 and purchasing 23 Minter Avenue, Densole, Cllr Monk never gave his address as The Nest, Dymchurch as he would have been legally obliged to do so. Strange!!!!
It would appear that Cllr Monk, according to his good wife can be in New Zealand while living at 23 Minter Avenue and or The Nest Dymchurch & trundling along to Council meetings as well as other functions and collecting his allowances and expenses. The documents as we said do not bear out Mrs Monk’s assertions in the interview she gave. But why let facts intrude into history?
