I was interested to see a Freedom of Information request go in a couple of days ago about certain usage of the corrupt Council's Town Halls and saw that the mysterious organisation known rather masonically as "The Knights of Wednesbury" featured. Regular readers will know that I covered the "Wednesbury Celebrates" debacle in detail - an organisation which folded though no-one seems to know if there was any money left in the bank and, if so, what happened to it!
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| Just 3 market stalls yesterday and one of those empty! |
But two organisations then sprang up to run tacky tribute band shows and the like at Wednesbury Town Hall both giving it as their address. A limited company (by guarantee) appeared with its registered office in the publicly-owned building - Box Office Wednesbury Limited. There is a whole host of directors:
Jill Turner
Samuel Holmes
Barbara Jones
Barry Martin
Donna Martin (who recently featured on Multistory's ridiculous and secretive award for women)
Lesley Robinson
Eileen Churchill.
This company does not have to file accounts until 2020. What does this company actually do?
But then the mysterious "Knights" are running shows at Wednesbury Town Hall. This is the bizarre exchange of emails I had with these shy retiring flowers yesterday:
Even though details of my blog are plastered over my emails this was the joke response! Note especially the last paragraph:
I received a weird reply simply saying I needed to go on the customer database if I wanted tickets! I think someone is taking the p*ss! Is this yet another of the scumbag organisations of Sandwell who claim to be community organisations but refuse to disclose their constitutions, trustees or accounts? Is this another outfit that is giving contracts to mates whilst applying for public money? Someone out there must know!
Addendum 02/03/19 The "Knights" are trying to flog tickets via a company called Ticketsource where they also advertise themselves as a "community organisation":
One name that keeps coming up about these organisations is Spencer Thrower though what his involvement is I cannot yet say.
Another name one would expect to crop up, a certain Councillor, hasn't - yet!
HELP PLEASE:
1 A SMBC informed me yesterday that from at least 2010 onwards it was very common for SMBC employees to be given Council houses. Were you one of them? Do you know other employees who were eligible (or otherwise)?
2 Following on from 1 above I would like to know addresses of properties that were let by SMBC as "service tenancies"?
3 I am anxious to establish whether Cllr Mohammad Rouf was still working as a taxi driver from 2010 to 2014 inclusive? Do you know? Do you know which firm(s) he was working for?
MORE FROM WEDNESBURY!
This is the latest post from the good folk from the campaign against the concrete sleeper works at Bescot sidings which I am happy to share with you. Please note that this is their content (and the stuff about the German works is particularly interesting) - so don't shoot the messenger!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION - SOME FACTS YOU NEED TO KNOW
The Action Group have been fighting to stop the development of a concrete sleeper manufacturing factory at Bescot Sidings for fourteen months and I have kept you informed of all developments and posted items from time to time, always saying lots going on in the background. We have now come to the point where we find that SMBC is not answerable to anyone apart from Government intervention. Tom Watson has been given all the facts, dates and details at various meetings and in correspondence, but he has not taken any steps on behalf of his constituents to remedy the underhand dealings of SMBC and to have the planning application quashed.
The Action Group would now like to make the residents aware after Tom Watson and Sandwell Council have failed to give any appropriate answers to the following critical facts that could have, health, legal and financial implications for the residents of Sandwell.
2nd September 2016
A Lease was completed of Land adjacent to Sandy Lane, Friar Park, Wednesbury for the purpose of building a roadway to access the proposed Concrete Sleeper Factory. The Lease is made between The Borough Council of Sandwell (1) Network Rail Infrastructure (2). For the consideration of £1 and the Lease has been granted with the following conditions :-
"(b) The Tenant (Network Rail) does not incur liability under this Lease for Historic Contamination;
(c) The Landlord (Sandwell Council) is responsible for Historic Contamination to the exclusion of the Tenant;
(d) The Landlord indemnifies the Tenant against Costs that the Tenant suffers or incurs as a direct result of Historic Contamination"
The land is highly contaminated and historic use of this land goes back 150 years. It was initially a metal processing factory. During the second World War it became a munitions factory manufacturing arms for the war effort and was bombed by the Germans. After the war the factory was reinstated to manufacturing aluminium products. This was a highly toxic process. The land is also subject to asbestos from the moulds and sand pits where toxic waste bubbled for years after. The land was at one time let for horse grazing and we have surveyor's comments "the horses aren't glowing".
We estimate the cost of cleaning up this land will be in the region of £1 million, the cost of which SMBC are to pay as specified in the Lease with Network Rail. In real terms it will be the Sandwell Council Taxpayers who will have to foot this bill.. Network Rail have been given this by Sandwell Council for a mere £1.
It should be noted here that there is a 1972 Government Act which stipulates that all Councils should get best value in all dealings. It is certainly not the case in respect of this land.
2nd September 2016
An Option Agreement was completed between DB Cargo (UK) Limited (1) and Network Rail Infrastructure (2) - This Agreement is in respect of the Sidings which is the site of the proposed factory.
In the intervening period DB Schenker Cargo cleared the sidings and eliminated wildlife in preparation for the concrete sleeper factory.
We have been told by Sandwell Council that the Lease was granted to Network Rail under Delegated Authority. We have repeatedly asked for a copy of this document under the Freedom of Information Act. A search was made of the Delegated Authority Section of Sandwell Council Website for the period in question and covering periods before and after, but again nothing could be found. We believe that this is an unlawful action and the transaction should have gone to Committee for approval.
Martin Frobisher, the Route Managing Director from Network Rail stated at a meeting on the 22nd June 2018 at Terry Duffy House that Network Rail had been given "the green light" to build the concrete sleeper factory by certain Sandwell Council Officers and that planning permission would be a mere formality.
Sandwell Council negotiated with Network Rail and put in place the legal documentation to enable access to the proposed factory two years earlier (2016). We believe this to be an unlawful action as none of the statutory processes have been followed as outlined in the Council's Constitution.
JANUARY 2018 - RESIDENTS NOTIFIED OF PROPOSED FACTORY
The first consultation meeting held at the Millennium Centre in Friar Park Wednesbury.
Please note that in Germany, Rail One are not allowed to build these concrete sleeper factories in areas where there is residential property and one factory at Langen was closed down after 67 years as a residential area for 3,000 people was to be created nearby. This incident was widely reported in a well respected German Newspaper. It is clear NR as well as SMBC have no regard for the people of Wednesbury who are clearly disposable in their eyes.
Perhaps when election time comes round the residents of Wednesbury will consider then who is disposable.
THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - COMMUNITY NEWS - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!
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PROUD TO HAVE BEEN TROLLED BY DICKHEAD DARREN COOPER DECEASED!
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