Borough of Camden, London, England, UK. Not endorsed or funded by Camden Council.
About this blog
Ramblings, thoughts, facts and opinions about political things - starting point council tenant participation with my land-lord Camden council and council tenant reps plus other housing issues, and whatever.
NOTE: I believe this account has been illegally hacked. Little clues have been left for me. They like playing games.
NOTE: I believe this account has been illegally hacked. Little clues have been left for me. They like playing games.
Saturday, 17 May 2014
Wednesday, 26 February 2014
CASP Gardening Project
Click Here for original council document of below information.
CAMDEN ASSOCIATION OF STREET PROPERTIES
CASP GARDENING PROJECT
February 2014
HISTORY OF CASP GARDENING SCHEME
The CASP Pilot Gardening Project was established in June 2011 with financial assistance from the Gospel Oak DMC.
The Association set up and somewhat manages the project which has now been extended to include Gospel Oak, Kentish Town and Hampstead.
Funding to date includes: Gospel Oak £7000, Hampstead £6000 & Kentish Town £10.000
The aim of the project is to provide gardening assistance to older, vulnerable or disabled tenants who live in Camden owned street properties.
Historically, this type of service was never provided by Camden Council despite many ground floor LBC street properties being allocated to disabled tenants, etc.
Initial discussions during the setting up of the project were extensive and covered area's such as insurance, suitability of the gardening team to work with vulnerable adults (CRB checks, etc), references and related housing management issues, etc.
The Association set up and manages the project which has now been extended to include Gospel Oak, Kentish Town and Hampstead, although we remain in close contact with senior housing staff to discuss different aspects of the scheme such as funding and its management, etc.
CASP meets regularly with the gardening team overseeing the works and any special requests such as input from OT's are passed to housing staff, etc.
Many of the gardens have been left unattended for years and pretty extensive works have been required in some of the gardens in order to make these areas usable - before and after photographs are available on request.
Over the years, some of these unattended areas have also attracted high levels of ASB and funding was used in some instances to revamp these areas - groups of individual gardens - into usable and attractive areas.
For example, one of the areas (consisting of four individual gardens) was cleared and made attractive by sowing wild flowers, etc.
GO, KT and Hampstead housing staff have also been proactive in identifying street property tenants who meet the criteria to receive assistance from the scheme.
Our team of gardeners have extensive experience of working with vulnerable tenants in the community and the Association is already receiving excellent feedback.
Since funding was first allocated in June 2011, funding used or is already committed to funding works taking place in the following Gospel Oak, Kentish Town and Hampstead streets:
1. Malden Road NW5
2. Queens Crescent NW5
3. St Leonard's Square NW5
4. Russell Nurseries Estate NW5
5. Savernake Road NW5
6. Basset Street NW5
7. Grafton Road NW5
8. Marsden Street NW5
9. Herbert Street NW5
10. St Baptist Gardens NW5
11. Maitland Park Road NW5
12. Grafton Terrace NW5
13. Hawley Road NW5
14. Chetwynd Road NW5
15. Brecknock Road NW5
16. Caversham Road NW5
17. Gaisford Street NW5
18. Patshull Road NW5
19. Lawford Road NW5
20. St Alban's Road NW5
21. Chester Road NW5
22. Leighton Grove NW5
23. Kingsgate Road NW6
24. Maresfield Gardens NW3
25. South Hill Park Gardens NW3
26. Goldhurst Terrace
27. Woodchurch Road NW6
28. Lady Margaret Road NW5 (New Referral)
29. Ingestre Road NW5 (New Referral)
30. Croftdown Road NW5 (New Referral)
update 8 March 2021
Tuesday, 1 October 2013
DMC's Review - History of the DMC's
An officers report to the councils Housing and Adult Social Care in regards to the review the committee is carrying out into the 5 Committee District Management Committee's (DMC's) HERE
History of the DMC's
" RESOLVED
THAT the Tenants' Associations listed in Appendix A be formally registered with the Council and their nominated representatives be co-opted onto the DMC, with voting rights for the Municipal Year 1998/99" HERE
Legislation
Section 13 HERE of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 adds further to the above:
13 Voting rights of members of certain committees: England and Wales.
(1)Subject to the following provisions of this section, a person who—
(a)is a member of a committee appointed under a power to which this section applies by a relevant authority and is not a member of that authority;
(c)is a member of a sub-committee appointed under such a power by such a committee as is mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) above and is not a member of the relevant authority, or one of the relevant authorities, which appointed that committee,
shall for all purposes be treated as a non-voting member of that committee (my emphasis), joint committee or, as the case may be, sub-committee.
Section 13 above came into force more or less around August 1990 HERE
Council meeting of 17 May 2000
agenda item 6. STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEES AND THE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO COMMITTEES
The Mayor moved and Councillor Dermot Greene seconded, that the report be received and adopted.
RESOLVED
- THAT the standing committees of the Council be constituted as set out below (my emphasis)
(e) HOUSING COMMITTEE (16)
Majority Party (11)
Brian Weekes, Dave Horan, John Rolfe, Charlie Hedges, Heather Johnson, Roger Robinson, Sybil Shine, Anne Swain, Jim Turner Maggie Cosin and Penny Abraham.
Opposition
(C)(3)Peter Horne, Andrew Mennear Piers Wauchope
(LD) (2) Jane Schopflin, Sidney Malin
Plus named substitute
(C)(1) Stephen Hocking
(LD) (2) Flick Rea, Heather Thompson
Forward a couple of weeks from the above full Council meeting to the Gospel Oak DMC 30 May 2000 HERE
1.REGISTRATION OF TENANTS ASSOCIATION AND CO-OPTION OF TENANT REPRESENTATIVES
RESOLVED THAT all the Tenants Associations listed in Appendix A be formally registered with the Council and their nominated representatives be co-opted onto the DMC with voting rights (my emphasis) for the municipal year 2000/2001.
History of the DMC's
Back in the days prior to part 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 HERE coming into force in July 2001, the dmc's where sub-committee's of the councils then Housing committee.
The housing committee and its sub-committees had council tenants as members - legislation allows them to do this.
In 1998, a DMC document HERE reveals that cllrs on the Housing committee bestowed upon some council tenants rights they
weren't legally entitled to: voting rights on the councils housing committees (the dmc's).
" RESOLVED
THAT the Tenants' Associations listed in Appendix A be formally registered with the Council and their nominated representatives be co-opted onto the DMC, with voting rights for the Municipal Year 1998/99" HERE
Legislation
The Local Government Act 1972, states under section 101 HERE in regards to local governments discharge of their functions:
Subject to
any express provision contained in this Act or any Act passed after
this Act, a local authority may arrange for the discharge of any of
their functions—
(a) by a committee, a sub-committee or an officer of the authority; or
(b) by any other local authority.
In relation to committees section 102 says:
(1) (a)a local authority may appoint a committee of the authority; or
(b)two or more local authorities may appoint a joint committee of those authorities; or
(c)any such committee may appoint one or more sub-committees
(3)A committee appointed under subsection (1) [F25or (1A)] above, other than a committee for regulating and controlling the finance of the local authority or of their area, may, subject to section 104 below, include persons who are not members of the appointing authority or authorities or, in the case of a sub-committee, the authority or authorities of whom they are a sub-committee, F26. .
(a) by a committee, a sub-committee or an officer of the authority; or
(b) by any other local authority.
In relation to committees section 102 says:
(1) (a)a local authority may appoint a committee of the authority; or
(b)two or more local authorities may appoint a joint committee of those authorities; or
(c)any such committee may appoint one or more sub-committees
(3)A committee appointed under subsection (1) [F25or (1A)] above, other than a committee for regulating and controlling the finance of the local authority or of their area, may, subject to section 104 below, include persons who are not members of the appointing authority or authorities or, in the case of a sub-committee, the authority or authorities of whom they are a sub-committee, F26. .
Section 13 HERE of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 adds further to the above:
13 Voting rights of members of certain committees: England and Wales.
(1)Subject to the following provisions of this section, a person who—
(a)is a member of a committee appointed under a power to which this section applies by a relevant authority and is not a member of that authority;
(c)is a member of a sub-committee appointed under such a power by such a committee as is mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) above and is not a member of the relevant authority, or one of the relevant authorities, which appointed that committee,
shall for all purposes be treated as a non-voting member of that committee (my emphasis), joint committee or, as the case may be, sub-committee.
Section 13 above came into force more or less around August 1990 HERE
By June of 1999 all 5 cllr lead dmc's (the 5 dmc's were aligned with the councils 5 district housing offices) had council tenant reps as chairs or vice chairs.
Each dmc was also given £100,000 pa to allocate on council housing capital works. This was on top of the existing but smaller revenue budgets (around £35,000 each pa ) dmc's had been allocating.
Each dmc was also given £100,000 pa to allocate on council housing capital works. This was on top of the existing but smaller revenue budgets (around £35,000 each pa ) dmc's had been allocating.
Council meeting of 17 May 2000
agenda item 6. STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS GOVERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMITTEES AND THE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO COMMITTEES
The Mayor moved and Councillor Dermot Greene seconded, that the report be received and adopted.
RESOLVED
- THAT the standing committees of the Council be constituted as set out below (my emphasis)
(e) HOUSING COMMITTEE (16)
Majority Party (11)
Brian Weekes, Dave Horan, John Rolfe, Charlie Hedges, Heather Johnson, Roger Robinson, Sybil Shine, Anne Swain, Jim Turner Maggie Cosin and Penny Abraham.
Opposition
(C)(3)Peter Horne, Andrew Mennear Piers Wauchope
(LD) (2) Jane Schopflin, Sidney Malin
Plus named substitute
(C)(1) Stephen Hocking
(LD) (2) Flick Rea, Heather Thompson
Plus 10 non voting members (my emphasis), one from each DMC, one from the Camden Federation of Tenants Associations, one from the Camden Federation of Private Tenants and one from the Homelessness Liaison Group, one from Leaseholders forum and one from TMO Liaison Group
Note it says "Plus 10 non voting members "
Note it says "Plus 10 non voting members "
Forward a couple of weeks from the above full Council meeting to the Gospel Oak DMC 30 May 2000 HERE
1.REGISTRATION OF TENANTS ASSOCIATION AND CO-OPTION OF TENANT REPRESENTATIVES
RESOLVED THAT all the Tenants Associations listed in Appendix A be formally registered with the Council and their nominated representatives be co-opted onto the DMC with voting rights (my emphasis) for the municipal year 2000/2001.
Within weeks of the full Council meeting and the agreed 10 tenant reps appointed onto the councils then Housing Committee with no voting rights, had transformed into the continuation of 5 Housing Committee sub-committees that had at least ten voting tenant reps each.
It was around this time that council tenant reps from the Camden Association of Street Properties (CASP) started attending dmc meetings.
By 2004 a few estate based council tenants reps (dmc and cftra members) had taken over CASP.
The council had given them housing transfers to street properties in order to do so.
A few years earlier, in January 2001, council tenant members of the dmc's who where also members of the Camden Federation of Tenants and Residents Association (CFTRA) managed to get the following motion agreed by 4 of the 5 dmc's:
“This District Management Committee agrees that the budget of £456,000 be withdrawn from the Community Involvement Team from April 1st 2001 and that tenants decide where and how the money will be used"
The CFTRA then set themselves up as a private company limited by guarantee in the same name, and took on the tenant participation service from the councils in house team - to provide services to other council tenants on behalf of the council.
The change of governance system brought in by the Local Government Act 2000 should have meant that the dmc's where shut down but cllrs allowed the dmc's to continue but as council tenant groups funded and serviced by the council.
The dmc's also continued to exercise council functions of allocating large sums of money to themselves. This progressed to dmc members actually being given direct access to council money to buy goods and services/works on behalf of the council - without an apparent formal legal management agreement/contract being in place. No annual accounts of spending required by the councils. No receipts required.
Councils officers agree with the tenant reps how much the cost of the works etc will be and the tenant rep is sent a cheque (or given a government procurement card) to transfer public money into the tra's bank account.
The dmc's don't produce annual accounts of where the money they have allocated to themselves has been spent. The council doesn't require the dmc's to account for the spending.
This set up continues to this day.
It was around this time that council tenant reps from the Camden Association of Street Properties (CASP) started attending dmc meetings.
By 2004 a few estate based council tenants reps (dmc and cftra members) had taken over CASP.
The council had given them housing transfers to street properties in order to do so.
A few years earlier, in January 2001, council tenant members of the dmc's who where also members of the Camden Federation of Tenants and Residents Association (CFTRA) managed to get the following motion agreed by 4 of the 5 dmc's:
“This District Management Committee agrees that the budget of £456,000 be withdrawn from the Community Involvement Team from April 1st 2001 and that tenants decide where and how the money will be used"
The CFTRA then set themselves up as a private company limited by guarantee in the same name, and took on the tenant participation service from the councils in house team - to provide services to other council tenants on behalf of the council.
From
what I can make of things, the cftra taking on the TP service has been a
disaster from start to finish resulting in the current situation where
the cftra has lost all its funding and support from the council.
The change of governance system brought in by the Local Government Act 2000 should have meant that the dmc's where shut down but cllrs allowed the dmc's to continue but as council tenant groups funded and serviced by the council.
The dmc's also continued to exercise council functions of allocating large sums of money to themselves. This progressed to dmc members actually being given direct access to council money to buy goods and services/works on behalf of the council - without an apparent formal legal management agreement/contract being in place. No annual accounts of spending required by the councils. No receipts required.
Councils officers agree with the tenant reps how much the cost of the works etc will be and the tenant rep is sent a cheque (or given a government procurement card) to transfer public money into the tra's bank account.
The dmc's don't produce annual accounts of where the money they have allocated to themselves has been spent. The council doesn't require the dmc's to account for the spending.
This set up continues to this day.
Saturday, 7 September 2013
Housing Management Efficiencies Review
On 26 June 2013 the councils housing and adult social care (hasc) scrutiny committee held their first (of a limited number of sub- meetings) Housing Management Efficiencies review meeting HERE
Terms of reference
• Investigate current Housing
management structures and consider proposals to address any
deficiencies
• Investigate the role and
responsibility for each head of service in Housing Management, how
they relate to each other and to other council departments, how
they work together and share resources, and how they use the
budgets allocated to each
• Investigate efficiency saving
opportunities without affecting front line service delivery
• Make visits to appropriate
departments and carry out mystery shopping within the above scope
and investigation
• Consider the implications of
the above findings and make recommendations to improve efficiency
and service delivery for tenants and leaseholders.
Labour cllr Julian Fulbrook is the cabinet member for housing.
2nd meeting 16 July 2013 HERE
3rd meeting 30 July 2013 HERE
4th meeting due 18 Sept 2013 HERE
5th meeting 1 Oct 2013 HERE
6th meeting 9 Oct 2013 HERE
7th meeting 24 Oct 2013 HERE
8th meeting 6 Nov 2013 HERE
One theme that keeps occurring in relation to council housing management (and it could be right across the council) is the continued operation of a financial system that allows any tom, dick or harridan to invoice the council for works/services without having to provide receipts.
Such as not requiring council housing repairs teams to provide proof of the works they have done ie get job signed off by tenant as proof it was carried out.
Or not requiring dmc members to provide proof of what they spend large sums of public money on.
2nd meeting 16 July 2013 HERE
3rd meeting 30 July 2013 HERE
4th meeting due 18 Sept 2013 HERE
5th meeting 1 Oct 2013 HERE
6th meeting 9 Oct 2013 HERE
7th meeting 24 Oct 2013 HERE
8th meeting 6 Nov 2013 HERE
One theme that keeps occurring in relation to council housing management (and it could be right across the council) is the continued operation of a financial system that allows any tom, dick or harridan to invoice the council for works/services without having to provide receipts.
Such as not requiring council housing repairs teams to provide proof of the works they have done ie get job signed off by tenant as proof it was carried out.
Or not requiring dmc members to provide proof of what they spend large sums of public money on.
I wonder if any improvements have been implemented since the 2002 Audit of Camden Council Leaseholder Service Charges HERE was carried out? The report is very damning of how the council mis-manages money.
Thursday, 22 August 2013
Sexual Freedom and the Far Left
http://www.bolshevik.org/mb/4women.htm
Marxist Bulletin:
Sex, Censorship and Women’s Rights
by Barbara Duke
I submitted the following resolution to the North London women’s section in the lead up to the national women’s section conference in late August. Unfortunately it did not gain enough support there for it to be further discussed at the national meeting or at our forthcoming congress. Below I argue why I believe this is an essential discussion on an issue which is important not only for the women’s section but for the party as a whole and the development of our policies.
Sexual Freedom
- Socialist Labour is opposed to restrictions on sexual expression and sexual choices among all those capable of informed consent. We fight all legislation which denies these freedoms.
- We are opposed to all state censorship, including of sexual material – capitalism only uses such laws to strengthen its oppression of women, gays and lesbians, and others.
- We call for the repeal of all age of consent laws (my emphasis) , whether for heterosexual or homosexual youth – such legislation is used by the state to oppress young people and their developing sexuality, often restricting their access to vital contraception, abortion and pre-natal services.
- Neither censorship nor age of consent laws provide any real protection against sexual abuse, which is perpetuated by the domestic and social pressures of capitalist society, and restrictions on the lives of women, children and young people.
- We campaign for the rights of people of any sexual orientation, age, gender, health and abilities to express their sexuality without interference, provided they respect the same rights of others and that all parties are capable of giving their informed consent.
How Hattie’s friends defended paedophilia HERE
The Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) HERE
PETER TATCHELL AND THE PAEDOPHILE BOOK HERE
"Sexual liberation had become – for some reason – a vital part of true Socialism"
Paedophiles Want The Same Rights As Homosexuals HERE
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Amnesty for Tenancy Fraudsters 2013
Camden council is proposing a two month amnesty for tenants who are committing tenancy fraud. DMC report June 2013 HERE
Report Summary:
To inform DMCs of the proposal to hold an amnesty for a period of two months for those tenants committing housing tenancy fraud
- making a false declaration to obtain their council tenancy,subletting their property or not using it as their main home.
The amnesty will allow tenants to return the keys and vacant possession of their properties without facing the consequences of further legal action or risk of prosecution under the new powers contained within the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013.
Saturday, 23 March 2013
Council Meeting - the Sabotage of Gospel Oak Community Partnership
Webcast of the Development Control committee meeting held on Thursday 21 March 2013 HERE,
Agenda Item 7(4) Housing and Adult Social Care: Planning application for the site 121-211 Bacton Low Rise estate, 113a, 115 and 117 Wellesley Road and 2-16 Vicars Road Gospel Oak NW5. HERE
113a Wellesey Road is the council owned community hall run by Bacton Low Rise TRA and Wendling TRA.
115-117 Wellesy Road is the councils Gospel Oak District Housing Office site. 2-16 Vicars Rd are council owned workshops.
Approximately £68m is cited as the development cost.
To the east of the site is the junction of Grafton Road and Vicar’s Road, with Grafton Road at this point extending over the rail line.
To the south are further residential properties along both sides of Vicar’s Road (a combination of Victorian properties, blocks of residential flats and the vicarage building on the junction of Vicar’ s Road and Wellesley Road), the Grade II former St Martin’s Church Hall (now a French School) and the Grade I listed St Martin’s Church.
To the west of the site is the 22 storey Bacton High Rise Tower residential block of flats (No’s 1-120 Bacton).
Dorian Cortesi chair of
Barrington Crt TRA gave a deputation to the committee on behalf of the 9 local
organisations neighbouring the development site.
He isn’t against the application, the deputation is specifically about section 106. He is referring to section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 HERE
Section 106 Obligations and the Community Infrastructure Levy HERE
The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 HERE
Place Plans HERE
The Neighbourhood Planning (General) Regulations 2012 HERE
Place Plans HERE
The CIL is money that " developers of larger sites pay to the council to reduce the impact of the development. Developers sign a S106 agreement as part of their planning permission. This is a legal document that specifies what the money is spent on and where. For example, S106 money is used to make improvements to highways, parks, public transport, schools."
The gist of the deputation
as I understand it is that during the consultation period when the council were
engaging well with the wider community on the proposed redevelopment the
section 106 money was not mentioned.
Meanwhile the council has been working
with one group (the Real Deal Community Partnership (RDCP)) on how to spend a significant amount of the
money – all
other local groups where excluded. They didn't know until recently that
the RDCP had been selected by the council to play an active role in the
allocation of places spaces provisions. The existing council forum (I'm guessing he means the gospel oak community partnership the council agreed to in March 2012 HERE ) was in place and overlooked in favour of the rdcp.
Cllr Valerie Leach cabinet
member for Regeneration and Growth and ward cllr for Highgate has been involved
in project meetings about the development. She says “we asked the real deal
community partnership to take a lead because they are the one’s being most
affected by the redevelopment”
The rdcp 'real dealers' seem to be: (I say seem to be because the rdcp website HERE doesn't identify who the directors of the rdcp are so I am working with a deputation the below group gave to cllr Sarah Hayward on 30 March 2012 HERE to try and persuade her, that they are the group that should be recognised as the gospel oak community partnership, hence the name):
Bacton Low Rise TRA – Dave and
Simone Lewis and Sarah Robbins (the housing estate that is being demolished)
Kiln Place TRA –Rita Thorpe and Jackie Kanaris
Maitland Park TRA – Lynne Bateman
Wendling TRA
Chair of Gospel Oak DMC, - Terry Wigget
CASP
Bobby Armstrong - Grafton
Onto the meeting where after the presentation had been given, members of the development committee asked questions:
Cllr
Paul Braithwaite says “my main area of concern … There is no doubt here
that (makes ref to a deputation) the community does not feel that this process
is being transparent….. I got the impression from Cllr Leach that fortunately
this is redeemable".
Cllr Braithwaite goes onto to say " I think it is a concern of this committee of the engagement of community (I think he means the "other" wider community) in the allocation of the section 106 money and indeed engagement with the cllrs..."
he goes on to make reference to Maiden Lane Estate - the council had
many problems (from the councils side of things) in getting tenants to
agree to the councils plans for the estate and it took many years to get
to the planning application stage.
“ ... this real deal community partnership, and it is
apparent that quite a few of the resident bodies felt that that it came out of left
field, the real deal community partnership has been in a steady dialogue and
are quite heavily engaged in making recommendations, so I would really like Stuart
Dilley to come back to us on on going transparency and engagement on the 106
money and why it is that real deal community partnership have been elevated and
given special treatment to date.”
Council legal officer states “ there is no legal requirement to consult on the section 106 …. As a matter of law the council can’t delegate expenditure, section 106 money to other parties”(my emphasis)
Stuart Dilley (senior housing officer) says “the
council has asked the real deal community partnership to look at opportunities
for committing the 106"
Cllr Braithwaite “can I come back again on the real deal community partnership and can it be explained to us why they have enjoyed, lets say, this exclusive relationship …”
Stuart Dilley “ the real deal community partnership
was set up by the community" …
NB the development committee chair said “ members have the capacity to direct officers on how to spend the
section 106 money…."
What is clear, is that there are two different "communities" at loggerheads here: the rdcp ( a handful of council tenants who are chums of old and any 'chancers' who may come along - it seems) who the council for whatever reason other than the official "we asked the real deal community partnership to take a lead because they are the one’s being most affected by the redevelopment" favours and the wider community ie other affected council tenants, private tenants, businesses, community groups etc.
In my view, It wasn't the council who approached the RDCP, it was the rdcp who approached the council and that is plain to see. Regardless of what any council person says the council does have an "agreement" with the rdcp - whether its in writing or verbal (a wink and a nod) I don't know.
There is a danger I think, that the rdcp "agreement" with the council will turn out to be like the one the council has with the other council tenant group of 5 - the district management committee's (dmc's) who have an "agreement" with the council to allocate money to themselves - but the council "holds" the money and allows tenant reps direct access to it either by way of a council procurement card or a cheque sent to the tra to be deposited in the tra bank account. No annual accounts produced at their agms, no receipts.
Has the ultimate aim been to get their hands on the section 106 money?
Update
The councils lib dem members don't seem happy about the shenanigans going on in Gospel Oak ward regarding the rdcp and the section 106 money and have, according to official documents for the upcoming full council meeting to be held on Monday 15 April 2013 HERE, put the following question to the Cabinet member for Regeneration and Growth cllr Valerie Leach:
" There is growing concern over the democratic deficit over the use of Section 106 funds. Residents, community groups and councillors often have no idea where - or even if - the money was spent.
How much money has the Council administered under Section 106 agreements over the last three years?
How many of these distributions been raised with the Cabinet Member? How many have been raised with ward councillors?
At what level are officer decisions actually being made?
Does she acknowledge that in light of the great frustrations around the huge Gospel Oak regeneration schemes – amongst many others – much greater clarity should be given and much greater input from local people should be routinely sought?"
And a motion
" This Council notes that the decision making process for the spending of Section 106 funds allocated for public benefit in a particular ward is still shrouded in mystery for councillors and constituents alike.
This Council agrees that once Section 106 funds are deposited with the Council, the decision to spend them is best taken by the appropriate ward councillors while respecting the s106 allocation agreed by Development Control Committee. Ward councillors will be required to consult their constituents about their proposed decision through consulting their Area Action Group."
Wonders whose idea it was to set the 'real dealers' up as a private company, and just how did they manage to persuade the responsible people in the council that it was a good idea to work with them - initially on job/fair days and entering into what could be termed as a shady "shadow" section 106 allocation "agreement" with the RDCP - at the exclusion of all others?
Surely by setting themselves up as a private company (with no liability to speak of), the 'real dealers' where expecting (had been promised?) significant sums of public money to come their way?
Popcorn anyone?
PS some council tenant reps (the shadow cllrs) have been known to turn up at the town hall and other venues where council business is being conducted - in order to tell council members what they should or shouldn't be doing.
update 25 Dec 2021
The linked is an odd case [imo] of the last remaining leaseholder of the Bacton Low Rise estate - a Russian, who had bought the leasehold in 2010
Some more about the case HERE
Monday, 14 January 2013
Rutland County Council Legal Action Against Members
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Rutland-County-Council-plans-legal-action/story-17829181-detail/story.html
By Tim Healy
A council has voted to take legal action to stop three councillors from allegedly harassing senior staff.
Rutland County Council has set aside £90,000 to seek an injunction against Richard Gale, David Richardson and Nick Wainwright.
The trio have been accused of sending e-mails to chief executive
Helen Briggs that, according to legal advisers, "are very likely to
amount to harassment".
The councillors, who formed Rutland Anti-Corruption Group
(RACP), have repeatedly called for her to launch an investigation into
the circumstances surrounding the suspension of a senior officer last
summer who, hours later, took his own life.
Ms Briggs has explained to the councillors the widow of the
officer wanted the circumstances of the disciplinary action against her
husband to remain confidential.
The council claimed the group had also sent it baseless e-mails
alleging officers had manipulated land deals, flouted financial rules
and regulations and had tried to manipulate the award of contracts.
The council voted on Thursday to seek the injunction. Twenty-three backed the motion, three abstained.
Members also backed a motion to support officers who wish to bring legal action for harassment against the three councillors.
Speaking after the meeting, leader Roger Begy said: "The £90,000
is an insurance policy. Should our senior officers sue us for
constructive dismissal, that could cost us £250,000.
"We have a chief executive and staff team who are simply doing their jobs to the best of their ability.
"Of course they should be subject to scrutiny and challenge as that is the basis of local democracy.
"However, they should not have to put up with false allegations about their conduct and regular questioning of their integrity."
A report by lawyers Bevan Brittan said the actions of RACP were
damaging the ability of the council to recruit outstanding officers,
hampering efforts to secure funding for education and recreation and
distracting senior officers.
Councillors Begy said: "As councillors, we have to protect our
staff and this decision sends out a strong message. Now we have to move
forward."
The council decided to defer a claim for defamation against the group.
It decided to monitor all communications with the group through a
single point of contact, subject to review by the chief executive, and
that members of RACP must use the council's secure e-mail system.
Alan Duncan, MP for Rutland and Melton, said: 'The council has
been forced to take this entirely proportionate action in response to
the disgraceful conduct of these three councillors.
"Their campaign of harassment went far beyond legitimate and open scrutiny of the council
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Heres a blog by Martin Brookes Oakham: Private Eye, The Rotten Borough, Helen Briggs, Aman Mehra, Rutland Anti Corruption Party, Leicestershire Police
apparently a senior council officer Aman Mehra died [found hanging at his home] following being suspended and escorted from the council building by the councils CEO Helen Briggs.
Sunday, 6 March 2011
What Really Happened at CFTRA HQ?
According to a website allegedly set up by the Camden Association of Street Properties (CASP) (content quickly taken down when they found out people in the council knew about it) something happened in 2009 at the offices of 11-17 the Marr, Camden Street NW1 that resulted in an employee ending up in court.
These offices are council property and are currently rented out to 3/4 private companies who receive public funding from the council to provide residents with a service.
Knowing the CASP habit of taking a grain of truth and building around it a sandcastle of lies, and spreading the lies around, and how they work with people in the council to screw over their targets, a few residents made enquires to try to ascertain what really happened. Other than yes the employee was up in court, the truth about everything else that lead up to the court case and who else if anyone, was involved, has not been forthcoming.
These offices are council property and are currently rented out to 3/4 private companies who receive public funding from the council to provide residents with a service.
Knowing the CASP habit of taking a grain of truth and building around it a sandcastle of lies, and spreading the lies around, and how they work with people in the council to screw over their targets, a few residents made enquires to try to ascertain what really happened. Other than yes the employee was up in court, the truth about everything else that lead up to the court case and who else if anyone, was involved, has not been forthcoming.
The criminal activity is alleged to have been carried out by the Camden Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations (CFTRA), who according to the website installed a spy camera in the toilet at the marr offices and took covert photo's. Labour cllrs Larraine Revah and Meric Apak where two of the cftra directors/management committee.
Lots of residents have attended the 11-17 Marr offices for various reasons connected to the 3/4 companies who provide services to the community, (myself included) and may well have been unsuspectingly captured on camera in the toilet and elsewhere.
Potential victims have the right to know what really happened and why instead of informing their members did CASP allegedly choose to set up a website making all sorts of allegations but swiftly took the content of the site down when people in the council found out about it and why the cftra didn't inform its members, and why housing management who where allegedly informed of what happened didn't make it public at a dmc meeting as they did a week before in regards to the Camden blogger who had been stitched up by the council and its little helpers casp?
Lots of residents have attended the 11-17 Marr offices for various reasons connected to the 3/4 companies who provide services to the community, (myself included) and may well have been unsuspectingly captured on camera in the toilet and elsewhere.
Potential victims have the right to know what really happened and why instead of informing their members did CASP allegedly choose to set up a website making all sorts of allegations but swiftly took the content of the site down when people in the council found out about it and why the cftra didn't inform its members, and why housing management who where allegedly informed of what happened didn't make it public at a dmc meeting as they did a week before in regards to the Camden blogger who had been stitched up by the council and its little helpers casp?
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