Presiding over, but not necessarily altogether happy with the way his Kingdom is going.

Philip Baker is the solicitor and monitoring officer at East Sussex County Council (ESCC), at time of writing in June 2026. Thus, is head of and overseas the legality social services, liaising with Sussex police, etc. It is alleged that ESCC, working in cooperation with Wealden District Council (WC) and Sussex police, conspired to seek only negative information. To only interview young persons who might be persuaded to add to Briony's complaint, and to bury any information that may help Victor von Woolfe's defence team. Given that Julian Dale and Tim Stirmey are alleged to have been working with ESCC and WC, to obtain a conviction, by not providing any defence with a reasonable chance of success, contrary to Boodram principles.

The aim being to bury Victor, after he persisted with allegations of a cover up, by DS Keith Lyndsay, and the Petitioner's complaints of corruption in Wealden and East Sussex councils. Sussex police is part funded by the council taxes collected from Wealden and surrounding districts, according to their own breakdown of expenditure. The conflict of interests is thus openly advertised.

The kicker is, that where a crime is reported to a serving public official, or comes to their attention, that if they fail to act to protect the victim of crime, in this case, the wrongful conviction of Victor von Woolfe, and the rights of the other 10 petitioner's, that they are guilty of an offence, after R v Dytham 1979.

The fact that ESCC was involved in the planning corruption from 1986 onwards, until the Petition in 1997, and further complaints to Sussex police, that were not investigated, meant that ESCC could not be party to any investigation into Victor von Woolfe due to the perceived conflict of interests, as per R v Sussex Justices 1924.

But that did not stop them, they did not recuse themselves. Quite simply because, investigation by an independent local authority would have shown that the allegations against Victor were false. And that would never do, allegedly.

According to ExecAtlas Equilar, Mr Baker is: "....the Council’s Solicitor and Monitoring Officer and has responsibility for leading the Governance Services Department. Areas of responsibility include : Performance, Research and Intelligence – the team lead on the Council’s business planning processes including the production of the Council Plan, and are responsible for the corporate performance management framework. 

The Team provide support with research and analysis focusing on the social, economic, and demographic character of East Sussex and its communities and maintain the East Sussex in Figures (ESIF) website Policy – ensures developments in national and local policies inform the Council’s planning and our work with partners. Provides support to scrutiny committees, senior officers and to the Leader and Chairman of the Council. The team provides support to the office of the Lord-Lieutenant, an appointee of the sovereign who represents the King in East Sussex and Brighton and Hove Communications – works with departments to achieve their objectives, ensuring that the public is informed about the council’s priorities and services.

The team maintains the council’s website and responds to media and social media enquiries Legal Services – legal team providing legal advice and representation to the Council members and departments, helping ensure that the Council operates legally and that its interests are safeguarded Member Services – has responsibility for the governance around the Council’s Constitution and decision-making arrangements. The team provides support and assistance to Members in performing their roles. The team also administer School Admission Appeals and School Exclusion Reviews Coroner’s Services – provides staff and services to support the HM Coroner for East Sussex in undertaking the independent judicial role of investigating violent, unnatural, or sudden deaths of unknown causes and deaths in custody."

BBC NEWS - 24 June 2025 - Council deficit could rise to over £79m by 2029

East Sussex County Council faces its "most challenging financial position ever", a report has warned.

On Tuesday cabinet members will consider the latest "state of the county report" - a document which begins the authority's annual budget-setting process.

Chief executive Becky Shaw has warned that the demand for and costs of the council's services have continued to grow, but available funding has "not kept pace", reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council's Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) predicts a £36.5 million deficit for the 2026/27 financial year, increasing to £56.2 million by 2027/28 and £70.8 million by 2028/29.

The report says: "Pressures on services have continued to grow as the needs in our communities increase and become more complex, costs have escalated due to national factors beyond our control, and the funding we receive from government and can generate locally, has not kept pace.

"We expect these pressures to be ongoing in the coming months and years.

"The gap between the funding we have and the cost of providing statutory services has now grown unsustainably and we have been realistic and honest about the substantial challenges this creates."

Ms Shaw says the authority is preparing its response to these pressures "from the most challenging financial position the council has ever faced".

To set its budget for 2026/27 the council will need to consider further savings, the use of its remaining reserves, and a bid for Exception Financial Support (EFS) from the government, Ms Shaw says.

"None of the above options are desirable but the council will have no option but to undertake some combination of the above if it is to maintain financial sustainability and protect services to the residents of East Sussex."

These measures are likely to come alongside further increases to council tax, the report adds.

Every time this council makes a mistake, they push their incompetence to the public, to pay for their negligence. Victor's case is just one example of how an agenda to get a campaigner for planning and then criminal justice, into hot financial water. Conspiracy to defraud is a costly matter. Then there are the golden handshakes, with each retirement and non-disclosure agreement. It all adds up.

NOTE: The victim's name has been changed to Victor von Woolfe in this fictionalized docu-drama based on real events.

https://people.equilar.com/bio/person/philip-baker-east-sussex-county-council/35521745

https://people.equilar.com/bio/person/philip-baker-east-sussex-county-council/35521745