Incompetent Labour Sandwell!

The general reader may not wish to plough through the 2013 internal audit report linked to this blog but I will try and give you a short summary. The report is a couple of years old and no doubt the cunning comrades will try and claim they are putting things right. But just look at what your pitiful Labour Council have done here and despair.....

The report deals with commercial properties leased by the Labour Council following their OWN ADMISSION that, under the Labour dictatorship in Sandwell, the leases referred to in the report had "proved to be poor value for money".

The report makes grim reading and does NOT deal with the biggest f*ck-up of all - the disastrous BT deal which has saddled the taxpayer with this £20m+ white elephant at 1 Providence Place, West Bromwich (which the sleazy "socialists" are refusing to tell us about):

A laughable Labour deal but no joke for the taxpayer!

Please bear in mind that commercial property leases are generally long-term - in at least one disastrous case here, 30 years. Usually there are "break clauses" which allow the tenant - in this case, your crappy Labour Council - to exit the lease - subject to conditions - after say, every 10 years. But whether the Council leaves early or at the end of the lease they are liable for "dilapidations" which basically means that they have to meet the costs of making sure the buildings are handed back to the Landlords in good repair.

I promise you you will not believe this next bit but it is all there in the report. With long term contracts such as long leases it is obviously vital that both parties have watertight agreements and that they can be referred to if a dispute arises. According to the Law Society website there are no less than 27 solicitors in highly-paid Neeraj Sharma's legal department (there used to be more) PLUS they have been farming out a lot of their dirty work (eg the bent Public deal) to a "local" firm of Solicitors in, er, EXETER (!) but the report found that despite this, insufficient information had been retained when the leases were approved. There was also a "lack of clarity" on the conditions and covenants relating to the all-important break clauses and dilapidations and no-one had bothered to monitor the position during the periods of the respective leases. Inevitably,this led to "extra costs" when the Council tried to get out of the leases.

Incredibly, the bullshitting comrades, in their empire building madness, were taking out 10 to 25 year leases on buildings built in the 1960's which were already in a poor state of repair and were even failing to do a survey report when entering the lease. People from several different departments were involved so that the left hand did not know what the right was doing!

Please - I am NOT joking about the next bit. Much of the "key information" was seemingly kept in people's heads or otherwise lost. This pathetic situation was exacerbated by the "socialist" Council itself sacking so many of the staff who negotiated the leases! Although the leases themselves were kept in a strongroom "documents such as key lease clauses and detailed costings" have been lost!

And the "best" of all. These wankers had put some of these "key documents" on a computer system which automatically wiped everything over seven years old! It is NOT 1st April. You really are reading the truth.

As above, no surveys were done when moving in so that Landlords had these morons over a barrel when forcing them to pay for repairs and it is not now possible even to estimate "ongoing liabilities" on some of the leases ie they can't even guess at future costs the taxpayer is going to have to fork out!

Because the Council have to make sure the buildings are in good repair when the leases end it is vital that the buildings are kept in good repair but the sleazy socialists have been skimping on the work to fund their collective obsession with building fancy new sports centres and the like. The result, of course, is that the taxpayer just gets an even bigger bill at the end of the lease. You have been conned, Sandwell - yet again.

Of course, your cuddly leftie leaders have got into bed with with the likes of capitalists Barclays Bank and construction vultures like Interserve in PFI and other highly-expensive Wonga-style "deals" and in the case of this report the lease of the "Sandwell Homes" site at Roway Lane merits special mention. It will be interesting to know what the role of newly-promoted "Assistant Chief Executive", Melanie Dudley, was in this debacle as it was rushed through to coincide with the total f*ck-up that was the hopeless BT "Transform Sandwell" deal. She was certainly involved in that fiasco and that "brilliant" deal has fallen through spectacularly with disastrous consequences (see also 1 Providence Place above).

Both deals were viewed as "high profile" vanity projects by the posturing prats Sandwell have elected and it is noteworthy that these were SPECIFICALLY cabinet decisions. The ludicrous "leadership" can't pass the buck here! Just as with the likes of the bent Public deal, the cabinet approved the deal for Roway Lane in March 2007 BEFORE full information on costs was available. How good is that?

These useless arseholes had the building specially built in 2008 and then leased it but, as at 2013, still hadn't got round to sorting defects with the Landlord. Don't worry, it gets worse.....It is admitted in the report that the political leadership rushed the job to get 1 Providence Place built as a vanity project (sorry "regeneration opportunity") and they approved the project without even knowing the most important thing in a lease of all - the rent! Eventually, they agreed to pay A MINIMUM of £18 MILLION over 30 years with no transfer of the building to Sandwell at that date. There are NO break clauses!!!!

And what was the upshot? The report tells us that you, dear residents and taxpayers, acquired "a purpose-built site which did not meet all of Sandwell Homes requirements RESULTING IN ADDITIONAL REFURBISHMENT COSTS AT OTHER LOCATIONS (eg Dartmouth House)". The brand new bloody building was not even fit for purpose and they still had to pay extra rent elsewhere!

If you now have the sensation that you want to punch someone very hard in the face (metaphorically natch), some of the Council staff and ex-staff I have talked to about this say the situation is actually far worse and that the report is actually a "whitewash"!!! Some have suggested that the situation is so disastrous that it may not be merely total incompetence at play in some of the transactions but something far more sinister. (Just to make it plain here I am specifically not making any allegation of fraud against any specific person - either officer or councillor in this post and no such inference should be drawn from it). But maybe this is something the ongoing police enquiry can have a look at? I also wonder what the auditors, KPMG, have to say about it all?

I am told that the termination of the leases for Shaftesbury House, Development House and Environment House have all involved colossal sums of money.

Now don't forget to vote Labour y'all!

Here is the report:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4nnHU5t5piVaVRCVWZTR0Ffam52bG9hbHlvYW5URmZnNENN/view

Speak to the police Regional Fraud Team if you have information about possible fraud at Sandwell Council - DS Wayne Haynes & Team - 0121 251 2175

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - A COMMUNITY BLOG - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

E-mail:   thesandwellskidder@gmail.com                  Twitter:  @bcrover (Vernon Grant)

Confidential phone number:  07599 983737

Britton and Bubalo Love Enterprise!

DUE TO AN ONGOING LEGAL DISPUTE, AN OBVIOUSLY COMEDIC REFERENCE TO JAN BRITTON HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY REMOVED.

DUE TO AN ONGOING LEGAL DISPUTE, AN OBVIOUSLY SATIRICAL, LAMPOONING, REFERENCE TO DARREN COOPER HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY REDACTED.

How strange that the political side of Labour Sandwell Council, with its large number of unemployed councillors, should hate business and enterprise so much (although becoming expert at screwing money out of central government for expensive projects) and yet officers of the Council bend over backwards to encourage entrepreneurship - particularly when it involves a member of their own staff (who, by happy coincidence, just happens to be the son of Cllr Mahboob Hussain).

I don't know when Hussain's son, Azeem Hafeez, started at Sandwell Council and they won't tell me - such information being not susceptible to Freedom of Information requests.

Back in the day, councils routinely had contracts that said employees should devote their whole time to doing the job the taxpayer was paying them to do. You would have thought with all the people "xxx xxxxxxxxxxx" [lampooning reference to Darren Cooper temporarily redacted] and his "socialist" chums have sacked recently, the remaining rump would be rather hard-pressed these days but those that are related to senior councillors are, apparently, allowed to have free rein by the Chief Executive, Jan "xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx" [comedic reference temporarily removed] Britton, when it comes to doing a few "little jobs" on the side. While still collecting their salary etc from us taxpayers, of course.

Naturally, the loony lefties pay lip-service to the dead hand of statist regulation and tell their employees that they should not work more than 48 hours per week because of the Working Time Directive but, once again, senior OFFICERS of the council seem rather more laissez-faire.

But there are a few rules and this is from the Officers' Code of Conduct about doing little jobs on the side:

6.0 Outside Commitments

 6.1 Some employees have conditions of service which require them to obtain written consent to take any outside employment. All employees should be clear about their contractual obligations and should not take outside employment which conflicts with the authority's interests.

7.0 Personal interests

7.1 Employees must declare to an appropriate manager any non-financial interests that they consider could bring about conflict with the authority's interests.

7.2 Employees must declare to an appropriate manager any financial interests which could conflict with the authority's interests.

Now I don't know what Azeem Hafeez's contract says but in the fullness of time it will be interesting to see which of his well-paid bosses authorised HIS other activities and recorded his declarations of outside interests. I am sure KPMG - the non-independent, er, "independent" auditor will let us see the complete dossier in due course (stifles hysterical laughter.....)

Once again, I must stress that I do not know when Hussain's lad started at SMBC. I am told he has been there some time but some of the following may NOT overlap with his time there. But he has been a busy boy, make no mistake! Happily, I am told a girlfriend also work there.

Firstly we have his Company interests (and this may NOT be the complete list):

Car Crash Direct Limited - sole Director, January, 2006 (company dissolved, July, 2010) - traded at Wellesley Road address - see below;

Wolves Impact Claims Limited - Director, May, 2006 (company dissolved May, 2008). Using a Dudley Road East address;

Dial A Rental Limited - Company Secretary - brother sole Director, June, 2007 (company dissolved August, 2012). Using a Fountain Lane, Oldbury address;

Shakes 2 Go Limited - sole Director, May 2009 (company dissolved January, 2011). Using a Waterloo Road, Smethwick address;

Central Car & Van Rental Limited - sole Director, April, 2012 (company dissolved November, 2013). Using a Birmingham address;

My and Your Care Limited - sole Director, November, 2012 (company dissolved, July, 2014), Using 31B Birmingham Street, Oldbury;

Broadwell Developments Limited - sole Director, April, 2014 to present (originally registered at 51 McKean Road but now registered in Birmingham).

(Query also possible connections with A1 Prestige Limos Limited?).

Then there were young Azeem's unspecified interests in The Rickshaw Restaurant, next door to Cllr Hussain's taxi business in Dudley. Here Dudley Council weren't such a soft touch as Sandwell and in 2007 and 2008 refused his applications to build extra storeys on the building for 14 flats.

The Rickshaw used to boast "A warm welcome awaits you at The Rickshaw Restaurant". It was certainly warm in the early hours of 7th November, 2013 when a mysterious fire broke out there and the fire brigade also found a small cannabis factory. And yet as far as I can tell there was never any police action taken in respect of this incident!

Curiously, there was another fire at the Wellesley Road factory in Oldbury which was not owned by Azeem but by our old friends Quyam and Quyyam and that too, purely coincidentally, followed an unsuccessful planning application. I should say here that the original planning application WAS granted by Labour SMBC but the applicants got greedy and put in a fresh application for a much bigger development which attracted opposition from various statutory bodies and ultimately failed.
Sandwell Police were definitely aware of this incident but I wonder what the outcome of their investigation was?

But returning to happier matters in Sandwell, you will see from the picture that our hard-working hero was actually based in Nick Bubalo's "Regeneration & Economy" Department.

Thus when Azeem applied for planning permission to build 3 houses on John Street, Oldbury the application went in on 23rd April, 2013 and "the Planning Department of the Year" were able to grant the application in less than 2 months with Azeem's boss himself signing the permission on 21st June, 2013. There may have been "grass" growing in the roof voids of The Rickshaw but there wasn't any under the feet of Azeem who has had the houses built and they are now occupied.

And then there was Azeem's application to build an apartment block for 12 (twelve) apartments at Clifford Road, West Bromwich. In went the application on 6th December, 2012 for this large development and even though the application had to go to the Planning Committee - who were all aware that it was an employee applying to build a block of flats (!) - and this was something all the Labour Councillors present were comfortable with - Azeem's boss, Nick Bubalo, was signing the permission - once again in less than two months - on 30th January, 2013! The councillors (see below) happily felt that a site visit was unnecessary and even felt able to remove a couple of conditions at the recommendation of Azeem's boss, er Nick Bubalo:

"Resolved that planning application DC/12/55397 (Proposed development of 12 No. apartments. Land adjacent to 2 Clifford Road, Clifford Road, West Bromwich) be approved, as recommended by the Area Director - Regeneration and Economy, subject to the removal of conditions (iv) to (vi)."

Of course, Labour went one better then and, as regular readers know, Cllrs Hussain, Eling, Hackett and Ian Jones agreed to sell land at Lodge Street, Oldbury and Nick Bubalo was tasked with marketing the large building plot. This was meant to be a "major" development (once the original plan to develop old folks' bungalows had been secretly shelved) and a glossy prospectus was produced which gave the nod that the cunning comrades would look favourably on a planning application for housing. But then the decision was made to sell to Azeem, an employee in Bubalo's own department. Azeem's planning agent (who was also the agent regarding the planning for the Wellesley Road site referred to above and who is also involved in the bog-gate scandal) signed a declaration that the property had been owned for 21 days two days BEFORE Labour conveyed the land to their employee! Not that Nick Bubalo or anyone else raised any query about this (application 30/12/13 - transfer 02/01/14). For a second time the mob who make up the "socialist" dictatorship's voting fodder were called upon to nod everything through and the Planning Committee was convened. Again the councillors present were fully cognisant of the identity of the purchaser.

Prospectus:

http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/downloads/file/4192/lodge_streetstone_street_development_prospectus

When the Planning Committee convened (and without a site visit) ROGER HORTON (father of the Liar Cashmore and husband of Cllr Linda Horton) moved that the final decision on what was defined as "a major development" need not trouble Councillors any further but the final decision would BE DELEGATED TO NICK BUBALO!!!! After resolving some highway issues Good Old Nick was able to grant planning permission for 14 houses and personally signed the permission for his employee on 29th July, 2014. Building is now under way!

The following Labour councillors were at one of the two Planning Committee meetings referred to above (for those who are absolutely determined to keep the blinkers on and vote for the perverted Labour dictatorship regardless of performance, those standing for election in May are starred):

PETER ALLEN*; LORRAINE ASHMAN*; Crompton; Davies (S); Downing; Price (B); Ward (not Labour).

The following Councillors were at BOTH of the planning committee meetings. You might have thought they might recognise the name of the applicant!

Frear (Chair!); ELAINE COSTIGAN*; BAWA DHALLU*; ROGER HORTON*; Hughes (P); Preece; Rouf; Tagger; Trow; Webb.

The disastrous ELING who was responsible for the original decision to flog Lodge Street is also up for election. He, of course, also lied to the press about recovering legal costs from the casino debacle and appears to have been the "mastermind" behind the Council Tax Benefit court disaster which cost Sandwell so dear. An excellent candidate I am sure!

Regulars will also be aware that Cllrs Hussain & Hackett then managed to get through a land disposal committee meeting in seven minutes and agreed to sell the old Coroner's Court building in Crockett's Lane, Smethwick. One of the co-authors of the report recommending sale was NICK BUBALO and he happily also supplied an estimated valuation which the crafty comrades are still trying to keep secret. After all this hard-work, Bubalo was duly authorised to sell the site on "terms and conditions to be agreed". Happily Mr Bubalo was able "to agree terms and conditions" with Azeem Hafeez who duly bought the property!

I suppose we should applaud the highly-paid Britton and Bubalo for employing someone who could do all this and still hold down the day-job. Labour Sandwell is indeed in safe hands.

(Just as a small aside, "xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx" [comedic reference temporarily removed] was behind the outsourcing of the dustbins service to Serco on behalf of the crafty comrades and the Unite members were "sold off" to the private company following negotiations on their behalf by the fearlessly independent union officer and troll, Brian Rickers, who also just happens to be bezzy mates with "xxx xxxxxxxxxxx" [lampooning reference to Darren Cooper temporarily redacted] himself. Nice to see Rickers has pledged a tenner to the xxxxxxx's [comedic reference to Jan Britton temporarily removed] charity trip to South Africa! All very "fraternal"!)

If you have evidence of possible fraud at Sandwell Council please ring the Regional Fraud Team in confidence on 0121 251 2175 - DS Wayne Haynes & Team.

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - A COMMUNITY BLOG - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

E-mail:   thesandwellskidder@gmail.com               Twitter:  @bcrover (Vernon Grant)

Confidential phone no:  07599 983737

You Can't Trust "The Star"!

DUE TO AN ONGOING LEGAL DISPUTE A SATIRICAL, LAMPOONING REFERENCE TO DARREN COOPER HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY REDACTED.

The Wolverhampton c*ck-suckers have had a field day lately, even by their pathetically craven standards.

Number 1.

They initially printed a story that a 30-year old man had been arrested in Oldbury. This story had been an exclusive by The Halesowen News who again pipped the c-s's to the post and was also covered by the BBC. But then "The Star" suddenly dropped the story and removed it from their website! Why?

If you want to get around this appalling censorship read either of the links below:

http://www.halesowennews.co.uk/news/12890947.Breaking_News__Councillor_s_son_arrested_on_suspicion_of_fraud/?ref=mr

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-32323295

You can't trust The Star!

Number 2.

Having dropped the above story the c-s's then obeyed Labour's orders and did a hatchet job on Steve Latham, the UKIP candidate standing against wealthy "socialist" Tom "The Rutting Walrus" Watson in West Bromwich East.

As I understand it, Steve Latham was commenting on an allegation that militant islamists were infiltrating the Labour Party. Unfortunately, he did not clarify - in a short social media message - that he meant extremists and appeared to include all followers of the Islamic faith. He duly apologised to the local mainstream Islamic community but "The Star" whipped it into a "big" story for their Labour chums complete with a quote from the woman-bullying twitter troll and "leader" of Sandwell Labour himself, Darren "The Xxxxxxxxxxx" -a lampooning reference temporarily redacted] Cooper.

And who should also be quoted in the article in support of the Labour attack but Imam Ghulam Rasool of the Kanzul Iman Central Jamia Mosque in Tipton. Regular readers may recognise the name of that Mosque as it was the one to which Sandwell Labour sold a huge piece of land in Peel Street Tipton (the very long green strip immediately above the orange marker in the picture below) for just £25,000. Have a read of my earlier post:

 http://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/how-to-win-friends-and-influence-people.html

You need to call in a few favours around election time, eh readers?

Number 3.

And then Dan "His Master's Voice" Wainwright and his team printed a paean of praise for Councillor Lucy "The Liar" Cashmore who claims she is standing down from the Council not because she has been caught telling porkies but because of unidentified "trolls" allegedly attacking her.

But the c-s's neglected to mention in the article that the Liar Cashmore is actually employed by one of the Express & Star Group of companies - Star Recruitment!

You can't trust The Star!

The police fraud team investigating possible corruption at Sandwell Council can be contacted in confidence on 0121 251 2175.

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - A COMMUNITY BLOG - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

E-mail:  thesandwellskidder@gmail.com          Twitter: @bcrover (Vernon Grant)

Confidential phone number: 07599 983737

Carol Goult

DUE TO AN ONGOING LEGAL DISPUTE A SATIRICAL, LAMPOONING, REFERENCE TO DARREN COOPER HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY REDACTED.

Bristnall is truly blessed. Just over four years ago the Labour dictatorship foisted the liar Lucy Cashmore on them as their candidate to perpetuate the Horton dynasty. It seems that the unfortunate voters of Bristnall were blissfully unaware of the truth about Mrs C and duly voted her in. Clearly they need to be a little more careful this time round - don't they????

The Labour candidate for Bristnall Ward this May is one Carol Gault. On Facebook she gives her date of birth as 23rd October, 1955. Is she, therefore, the same Carol Goult as this person:

An IVA is an "Individual Voluntary Arrangement" where a person avoids personal bankruptcy by agreeing to make payments to an insolvency practitioner who will divide the money between creditors.

I hereby call upon the local Labour Party to immediately confirm:

1 Whether their candidate Carol Goult is indeed the person who entered into an IVA on 18th October, 2011?

2 If so, has Mrs Goult applied for a variation of the agreement since? Again, if yes, Labour will please provide details.

3 Is the IVA still current? If not, when did the arrangement end?

Whilst Labour are rushing to tell people in Sandwell the truth for once can they also make an absolutely unequivocal public statement that none of their 23 other candidates has a conviction for benefit fraud dating from the 1990's? Voters will want to know this.

Of course, if the IVA Carol Goult is one and the same person as the Labour candidate then voters in Bristnall may wish to consider whether a person who cannot manage her own financial affairs is a fit and proper person to be handling theirs on the Council......

Interestingly Mrs Goult has been "seconded" on her nomination papers by Cllr Steven "Three Names" Frear who has apparently had a bit of a chequered financial history himself. Fortunately, he is a close personal friend of the woman-bullying, social-media troll who "leads" the Council, Darren "The Xxxxxxxxxxx" [lampooning name for Cooper temporarily redacted]  Cooper, and so in the stinking cesspit of Sandwell Labour Frear has been elevated to the key position of Chair of Planning.

(Incidentally, you might think that as Chair of Planning - which merits a large special responsibility payment of taxpayers' money on top of normal allowances - Frear might have a little knowledge of land law. And yet he signed a legal declaration on his Register of Interests that he owned his home at xx Hill Top, Oldbury. This is a lie on a legal document. But what better way to throw people like me off the scent and to stop them checking out the identity of the real owner! But I did check and the house is, in fact, owned by Labour Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. Frear was allocated the council house and lives there with his brother/half brother, the social media troll Paul Kerton, who, nothwithstanding his social media behaviour, earns a decent salary courtesy of, er, Labour Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council!!!).

Let us not forget too that Labour Councillor Joanne Hadley (she of the NON-colourful sex-life)  has so far failed to respond to my invitation to let me have copies of HER election material wherein she appeared to forget to mention to the long-suffering voters of Great Bridge when she stood for election that she was a former bankrupt. They might have liked to have known that! This has not stopped Hussain and Cooper from putting her on the board, as a Trustee, of the taxpayer-cash-guzzling Sandwell Leisure Trust. No doubt her experience of personal insolvency is of enormous benefit running that multi-million pound organisation!

I think 24 hours is enough time for Labour to clarify the above issues don't you folks?

Addendum 19/04/15 - a Sandwell early-bird has just sent me a further document saying that the "IVA Carol Goult" is listed as living at 3xx Queens Road, Oldbury which is the same address used by Labour candidate Carol Goult in the Notice of Poll! (Thanks to you know who for info).

Remember the Regional Fraud Team still want to speak to anyone who has evidence of possible fraud at Sandwell Council. Contact DS Wayne Haynes and team in confidence on 0121 251 2175.

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - A COMMUNITY BLOG - READ THE SKIDDER, KIDDER!

E-mail:  thesandwellskidder@gmail.com             Twitter:  @bcrover (Vernon Grant)

Confidential phone no: 07599 983737

Technical Blog - SMBC & West Midlands Police

DUE TO AN ONGOING LEGAL DISPUTE A SATIRICAL, LAMPOONING REFERENCE TO DARREN COOPER HAS BEEN TEMPORARILY REMOVED.

This is a technical blog primarily intended for persons who need to investigate this dismal story further but if you can plough through what follows you may well be surprised at the inefficiency (or worse) of West Midlands Police.

It has been widely rumoured that Sandwell Police have a far too cosy relationship with Labour Sandwell Council. Certainly they are happy to promote Labour at every tick and turn - particularly via social media. Here is just one of many  recent examples of them happy to be appearing to endorse Labour Councillors at the drop of a helmet.

There is a further pervasive view held by a number of local people that a very senior Labour Councillor is a police informant which may go a long way to explaining Sandwell Police's behaviour.

Of course, the lunatic woman-bullying troll and Leader of Sandwell Council, Darren "The Xxxxxxxxxxx" [lampooning name for Cooper temporarily redacted] Cooper, has been using social media to abuse individuals and openly engaging with numerous troll accounts. Complaints have been made about his antics to the police by at least three individuals (there is even a crime reference number) but still nothing has been done. I wonder if this is because, unbelievably, he is Chair of the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel!!!!!

You can also see how WMP keep the crime stats down by the simple expedient of not issuing a crime reference number!

Of course, the police have now brought in the Regional Fraud team to deal with various investigations into Sandwell Council (you can contact DS Wayne Haynes and his team confidentially on 0121 251 2175) and whilst they appear to be conducting themselves thoroughly professionally, it seems that their remit has been deliberately restricted by their superior officers to investigating certain land sales and ancillary matters. As you will see in this very long, but important, post everything else has been kicked into the long grass - and with the apparent blessing of the Chief Constable himself.

Here is my correspondence with the Police. You can judge for yourselves what is really going on here and also marvel at the pisspoor levels of "service". I will be sending a copy of this post to various parties as, to my mind, this situation is wholly unsatisfactory. In particular, it seems that if a Chief Constable decides s/he does not want to enforce the law of the land there is absolutely nothing one can do about it!

Please note that it is now April, 2015 and that this saga has been going on since last JULY!

I made my first complaint to the Police - about the liar Cashmore and the false information on her Register of Interests - using the useless 101 service where a civilian worker bizarrely informed me to raise the issue with the Department of Work & Pensions! Accordingly I wrote to Sandwell Police and personally hand-delivered the letter to West Bromwich nick:

(I have amended any typos in square brackets. I have not included the attachments. The blogs referred to can be read via thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com)

                                                                                                                                        

West Midlands Police                                                                                                  

West Bromwich (Sandwell)                                                                                        10^th July, 2014

BY HAND 10/07/14

Dear Sirs,

Crime Report – Councillor Lucy Cashmore

In May, 2011 Mrs Cashmore of xxx Lindsworth Road, Birmingham B30 3RT stood for election to Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. She stated that she was residing at the address of her parents – also Sandwell Councillors – Linda and Roger Horton at 47 Hall Road Smethwick B67 6SQ. This may not be a criminal offence [although further evidence was submitted to the police at a later date about this potentially being a prima facie criminal matter] but on 17^th July, 2012 I believe that she gave a false declaration via her statutory declaration on the Register of Members’ Interests as to her residence. See my blogpost about this: “An Unfortunate Error by Councillor Cashmore?” attached herewith as Document A.

Whatever the position with regard to that, there is [an] absolutely clear prima facie evidence that she has committed a criminal offence  under Localism Act 2011 Part 1 Chapter 7 and the regulations made thereunder – The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012 which came into force on 1^st July, 2012 – by failing to declare a pecuniary interest as required by law.

At Document B I enclose a copy of Mrs Cashmore’s Register of Interests entry dated 17^th July, 2012 (it would appear Sandwell Council specifically had Councillors fill in these forms in July 2012 to comply with the new Regulations referred to above). Councillor Cashmore lied as will be seen from my blogpost “Resign Councillor Cashmore!” at Document C.

On 8^th July, 2014 Mrs Cashmore erased her Facebook pages but at Document D you will see the relevant entries from HER OWN LinkedIn pages wherein she boasts of having been in employment for 16 years including the specific period when she signed her declaration. At Document E you will see that for part of 2010 she was not only an employee of one Company but a Director listed at Companies House until she resigned on 21^st June, 2010.

There are clear and obvious grounds for a police investigation here. Please let me have a crime reference number and I await confirmation of the outcome of your enquiries.

(I should say that on 8^th July, 2014 I did attempt to report this via the 101 phone number and spoke to a female called “xxx” who clearly did not understand this matter and referred me to the Department of Work and Pensions! This is why I am hand-delivering this to you with the relevant statutory provisions set out for you).

Yours faithfully,

Readers here should note that on the legal documents she supplied to Companies House she gave her address as xxx Lindsworth Road in Birmingham!!!! So she was lying to someone on legal documents!

I saw a very helpful civilian worker at the nick (who was an ex-Copper) and after a short discussion he fully understood what I was going on about. He arranged an appointment for me to trek over to West Brom four days later which I duly did. I met a Police Constable xxxx who specifically said the matter would be referred to the CPS for advice (Inspector Rowe later confirmed that this was, in fact, never done - in fact, he admitted that absolutely nothing was done by Sandwell Police). I should add here that I also gave some verbal information concerning witnesses who could provide information about Cashmore's living arrangements but Sandwell seem to have binned this too.

Then I established that Cllr Meehan also appeared to have given a false declaration and duly wrote to the Police again:

West Bromwich Police Station

Moor Street

West Bromwich B70 7AQ                                                                        24/07/14

Recorded Delivery

Dear Sir/Madam,

NEW CRIME REPORT – COUNCILLOR TONY MEEHAN

EXISTING CRIME REPORT – COUNCILLOR LUCY CASHMORE

I have drawn the attention of West Midlands Police to Localism Act 2011 Part 1 Chapter 7 and the statutory regulations made thereunder – The Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interest) Regulations 2012 which came into force on 1^st July, 2012.

These provisions make it a criminal offence if elected Councillors fail to disclose pecuniary interests on the Register of Members’ Interests. By Section 34(3) Localism Act 2011 a prosecution is not to be instituted except by or on behalf of the DPP which is why I have referred the existing matter to WM Police.

A person guilty of an offence is liable to a fine not exceeding level 5 and to possible disqualification from office.

HISTORY OF EXISTING COMPLAINT:

08/07/14 Phoned 101 and effectively “fobbed-off”;

10/07/14 Attended West Brom Police Station. Civilian officer took details but asked me to return for appointment.

14/07/14 Attended West Brom Police. Pleasant meeting with PC xxx. Handed him all documentation relating to Cashmore and he said he would refer matter to CPS. Awaiting further information.

PLEASE NOTE ESPECIALLY THAT CASHMORE HAS STILL NOT AMENDED HER REGISTER ENTRY WHEN SHE IS CLEARLY WORKING SO THAT AS OF TODAY’S DATE – 24/07/14 SHE MAY BE CONTINUING TO COMMIT A CRIMINAL OFFENCE!!!

Whilst all this has been going on, a new Councillor on Sandwell Council has also possibly made a false declaration. I enclose a copy of my blogpost dated 22/07/14. I do not at present have proof that “Tony Meehan” of 8 Vicarage Road, Wednesbury and “Anthony William Meehan”, the person named as the legal owner of that property at HM Land Registry, are one and the same person but it seems an amazing coincidence and there is a clear prima facie case for you to investigate. 

Accordingly I am writing to you as I am unable to travel to West Bromwich for at least a week and a half to also make a formal crime report in respect of Meehan.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Yours faithfully,

Of course, Sandwell Police totally ignored all this (whether this was due to incompetence or to something more sinister, it is difficult to say). Thus I made my first complaint to the Chief Constable.

FIRST COMPLAINT TO THE CHIEF CONSTABLE

The Chief Constable
West Midlands Police

By Hand - 12/08/2014

Dear Sir,

Request for Review of Poor Service Part 1 - Cllr Lucy Cashmore
                                                             Part 2 - Cllr Tony Meehan

I an dissatisfied with the service I have received to date from Sandwell Police in respect of the two complaints referred to above and I should be grateful if you would have the enclosed papers reviewed and take appropriate action. I also want a crime reference number in respect of both matters please.

The Localism Act 2011 Part 1 Chapter 7 is absolutely clear. Local councillors must complete a Register of Interests and make a declaration that their entry is true. It is a criminal offence to supply false or misleading information liable to summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5. A court also has the power to disqualify a councillor for up to 5 years. The key point in the Act is that a prosecution can ONLY be brought BY the DPP - hence why I made complaint to West Midlands Police.

I have to say that I hesitated before reporting this to Sandwell Police as I am aware of their VERY close working relationship with Sandwell Council (indeed as recently as Sunday night there were photos on social media of an officer hob-nobbing with a local Labour Councillor). Of course, I don't expect you to confirm or deny it but I am also aware of the widespread rumour that xxxxx councillor is a police informant. Nevertheless, I decided Sandwell was the most appropriate part of West Midlands Police to deal with this matter.

In respect of Lucy Cashmore, I personally handed the letter and documents in Part 1 herewith to a PC at a pre-arranged meeting at West Bromwich police station. It is difficult to imagine a clearer prima facie case under the Act and I should say that Cllr Cashmore is aware of my blog posts but has not seen fit to amend her Register entry (although she managed to change her photograph on the Council website!) As she is still working she is also potentially offending by continuing commission. The PC stated that advice would be taken from the CPS but I have heard nothing and I still await a crime reference number. (Someone at the BBC is following this but has been persistently informed by your press office that there is no police investigation into Mrs Cashmore!)

After lodging the detailed dossier on Mrs Cashmore with you, I became aware that new Councillor Tony Meehan MAY have also lied on his Register entry. In Part 2 herewith I enclose a copy of his Register wherein he denies owning property in the Borough of Sandwell. I also enclose a copy of a Land Registry entry for his stated home address (and where he is on the Voters Roll) which shows that the house is owned by "Anthony William Meehan". I do not have the capacity (yet) to determine whether Tony Meehan definitely is one and the same person as Anthony William Meehan but, if he is, then once again there is an absolutely clear prima facie case against him. You have greater investigatory powers than I do. Unable to travel to West Bromwich at the time, I chased the Cashmore matter AND reported the potential Meehan offence BY RECORDED DELIVERY LETTER dated 24th July, 2014 a copy of which I attach herewith. Not only have I not received a crime reference number, I have not even had the courtesy of an acknowledgement.

I would probably be happier if you took these investigations out of the hands of Sandwell Police but will accept your judgement on operational matters. I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Yours faithfully.

My complaint was sent to Chief Inspector Sean Phillips of Sandwell Police who, in turn, passed the matter to Sandwell's Inspector Rowe who duly telephoned me.

(May I say that Inspector Rowe gave me certain help with regard to personal security matters for which I am most grateful).

But then it became apparent that MORE Councillors were flouting the rules and so I wrote to Sandwell again:

Inspector P. Rowe,

Sandwell LPU, West Bromwich Police Station,

Moor Street,

West Bromwich B70 7QA                                                                              19/09/14

Cc xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

RECORDED DELIVERY

Dear Inspector Rowe,

Part 1 – New Crime Report – Mahboob Hussain, 51 McKean Road, Oldbury

Part 2 – New Crime Report – xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx and Abdul Naeem Quyam

Part 3 – Ongoing Crime Report – Cllr Lucy Cashmore

Part 4 – Ongoing Crime Report – Cllr Tony Meehan

INTRODUCTION

I made my original complaint about Cashmore over two months ago. I have expressed disquiet to the Chief Constable that Sandwell Police seem to have an unhealthily close relationship with Sandwell Council and as new matters are arising of a serious nature I feel it necessary to forward a copy of this letter to a national media organisation in London.

Part 1 Although the attitude of the Police thus far seems to have been that breaking the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 is all a bit of a joke you will now see where this sort of thing leads…. You, yourself, Inspector Rowe stated that you are more used to dealing with crimes like xxxxx – well here is a bit of nice old-fashioned xxxxxxxx for you!

One of the Deputy Leaders of Sandwell Council, Mahboob Hussain of 51 McKean Road, Oldbury, was majority shareholder and Company Secretary of Five Star Taxis and Minibuses Limited of Dudley. Significantly, his wife, Nasreen Begum was also a shareholder. I believe that Five Star entered a contract with Sandwell Council for taxi services on or around 1^st September, 2012. Hussain had already transferred some of his shareholding to his DAUGHTER Shasta Parveen and on 31^st August, 2012 (just before the contract started) he transferred the rest of his shareholding to her and resigned as Company Secretary. Since that date Sandwell Council has paid Five Star just shy of £100,000 (one hundred thousand pounds!) Hussain’s wife was a shareholder throughout but Hussain did not declare this in the Register of Members’ Interests nor did HE declare an interest anywhere else. This is xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx involving a lot of public money and I ask you to (a) supply me with a crime reference number in respect of this matter and (b) launch an immediate investigation.

My printer is not working today but further information is contained in the following posts on by blog which you can access at thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com

(a) 19/05/14 Skidder Shorts No. 11 – Five Star Sandwell!

(b) 17/08/14 Mahboob “I Work the Whole City” Hussain

(c) 18/08/14 Hussain Taxi Scandal Latest!

I hold various company search documents etc and am happy to assist further as required.

Part 2 For some considerable time Sandwell Council had three disused toilet blocks on their books. They were not being marketed for sale. Suddenly in 2012 a Mr Abdul Naeem Quyam of xx Warley Road/xx Warley Road, Oldbury (also uses xx Warley Road and xx Unity Place, Oldbury) popped up and made an offer to buy them. Without offering them for auction or seeking other offers the Council sold all 3 blocks to Quyam on 12^th August for £35,000. Sandwell Council are now on public record saying that AFTER the sale they paid £1,200 of public money for a valuation which was £130,000! [Note this has now turned out to be a lie by then Labour Cabinet Member, Cllr Ian Jones]
One block has since been sold on for £40,000 (although that is not all profit due to expenses etc).

I have an informant who has told me that the idea for the block at Albert Street was to use it as a taxi office and, indeed, boards are on the building relating to that. My informant says that there were three parties involved xxxxxxxxx to get the blocks xxxxxxxxx ie Abdul Naeem Quyam himself, xxxxxx and xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx Of course, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It is noteworthy that Sandwell Council tried to mislead me in replies to a Freedom of Information request on this subject.

I believe that the xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Once again, I believe there is a prima facie case of xxxxxxxx here and ask you to (a) supply me with a crime reference number and (b) investigate as you see fit.

Once again – the saga is set out in my blogs via thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com

(a) 07/08/14 Can you help me? Local Sandwell knowledge required!

(b) 08/08/14 Why are Sandwell Council Lying to Me?

(c) 19/08/14 A Document Sandwell Council Didn’t Want You to See – Bogs Scandal Latest!

(d) 21/08/14 Bog Scandal Latest – Valuation Done AFTER Sale!

(e) 15/09/14 Bog-gate – Help Please!

If I can assist further please contact me.

Part 3 Cashmore has changed her Register of Interests to show she is working but still maintains the lie that she is living in Smethwick. My informants tell me that she has xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. It has been drawn to my attention that there is a particularly close relationship between Sandwell Police and Councillors in Bristnall Ward but I hope that this will not influence any ongoing investigations.

You will note from the recent blogs that there is now a very real question about Cashmore’s eligibility to stand for election in the first place. Once elected she received the normal allowance and special responsibility supplements ie hard cash from the taxpayer.

I am STILL awaiting a crime reference number in respect of this matter.

The BBC are monitoring this particular case but I am setting out the full list of blogposts below for the benefit of the recipient of the copy of this letter.

You already have a hard copy of the following posts:

(a) 03/07/14 An Unfortunate Error By Councillor Cashmore?

(b) 08/07/14 Resign Councillor Cashmore!

(c) 23/07/14 Cashmore – still lying…..

(d) 04/09/14 Lying Lucy Latest – A New Cashmore Shocker!

(e) 07/09/14 Lying Lucy – New Photos and Info!

(f) 09/09/14 Late Final – Cashmore and Mosque Parking Exclusives!

(g) 11/09/14 Lying Lucy Takes the P*ss!

Part 4 As a result, presumably, of my media activities a number of Sandwell Councillors have recently up-dated their entries in the Register of Members’ Interest’s but “Fudgy” Meehan wasn’t one of them. I pointed out in our recent telephone conversation (and you agreed) that with your powers (as opposed to mine) it would be “very easy” to establish whether “Tony Meehan” is one and the same person as “Anthony William Meehan” the owner of the property where Fudgy lives. If they are one and the same then Fudgy is STILL giving a false legal declaration.

For the benefit of the media contact in London the blogpost on this is:

(a) 22/07/14 Another Sandwell Labour Liar? – Tony “Fudgy” Meehan.

I STILL await a crime reference number in respect of this matter.

(I have, of course, attended West Brom Police Station and supplied dossiers of evidence in respect of Cashmore and Meehan which are now in your possession).

There is some serious wrongdoing now being exposed here. Please (a) acknowledge safe receipt of this letter; (b) let me have crime reference numbers for all four matters and (c) let me know the outcome of your investigations as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Once again I heard absolutely nothing further and chased Inspector Rowe again by hand-delivered letter dated 15/10/14 - also hand-delivering a copy for Chief Inspector Sean Phillips. I am not setting out the full letter here as it also dealt with certain other issues but here are relevant extracts:

Part 3 [Cashmore] I have had xxxxxxxxx calls clearly staing what is blindingly obvious. I spoke to you about interviewing Cashmore but assume you haven't bothered? See my letter of xxxxxx which you already have concerning xxxxxxxxx. It is noteworthy that WMP successfully prosecuted a would-be councillor in Wolverhampton last year for using a false address. That matter was handled by Sgt Paddy Gilece and perhaps he has the expertise to deal with this complaint> Please don't forget that Cashmore has been happily claiming normal and special Council allowances since 2011!

Part 4 [Meehan] This matter is laughably simple and I cannot believe that it has still not been dealt with.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Finally, my wife and I have received threatening phone calls and I have also received abusive phone calls. I am also aware that xxx xxxxx has received threats recently and reported the matter to you. I have stuck my neck out to expose the truth and I do expect a serious and proper response from the Police.

Yours faithfully


I am afraid that the following letter is heavily redacted but you will get the drift...... Note there was specific information about documents held by an individual at SMBC but it appears the police did absolutely nothing to secure these and if they did exist they are, no doubt, long gone hampering any possible prosecution. There was also another issue where SMBC staff actively wanted to talk to the police but wanted them to make the first move as they were afraid of intimidation. Incidentally, this same issue was reported to the police BY AN EX- POLICE OFFICER but as I understand it nothing has been done. Finally, there is a direct allegation that Sandwell Police themselves were specifically aware of the link between a property and a certain individual as Sandwell had been involved at an incident at the property.

Inspector P. Rowe 

Sandwell LPU Birmingham 

West Bromwich Police Station                                                                                  20/10/14

Moor Street

West Bromwich

Dear Inspector Rowe

Sandwell Council

I write firstly to confirm our telephone conversation of last week when I informed you:

(a) that an informant had told me that an employee of SMBC based in the xxxxxxxxxxxx Dep't called xxxxxxxxxxxx was alleged to be sitting on a file of papers relating to property dealings by xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx; and

(b) whilst not related to our previous dealings and of a more minor nature I passed on from an informant that the staff in charge of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx They are too scared to come out with this in public but I am informed that they would be happy to assist if questioned by the police. There are related allegations of the mis-use of xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

You were going to come back to me this week with contacts for the current investigations. Would you kindly note that I will be difficult to contact Friday and Saturday (although you have my personal mobile number if necessary).

Turning to general matters:

1. I have put up a blog about SMBC doing “odd” deals with xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

2. I mentioned that the current occupants of xxxxxxx, Oldbury – a Sandwell Council House – are xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. That blog also mentions the curious case of Cllr xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
3. Just by way of background xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx also owns the property at xxxxxxxxxx xxxx Rowley Regis.

4 xxxxx – xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I am very reliably involved that YOU – Sandwell Police – have direct knowledge of a xxxxxxx connection to the xxxxxxxxxxxxx even if that property is not registered in his name. Also there was the xxxxxxxxxxxxx xx xxxxx. Pure coincidence?

Yours faithfully,

There was a handwritten postscript to this letter:

PS Re: Cashmore - I have spoken to xxxxxxx in xxxxxxx and he tells me that she has most definitely been [in Lindsworth Road] for the last 4 years at least! You could try investigations with xxxxxx !

SECOND COMPLAINT TO THE CHIEF CONSTABLE

The Chief Constable 

West Midlands Police

c/o Steelhouse Lane PS                                                                                              15/10/14

Birmingham

BY HAND

Cc – Chief Inspector Sean Phillips

Sandwell Police, West Bromwich - By Hand

Cc – Inspector P. Rowe

Sandwell Police, West Bromwich – By Hand

Dear Sir,

SECOND COMPLAINT

I write further to my letter of complaint hand-delivered on 12/08/14 which related to complaint I had first made to Sandwell Police as long ago as 10/07/14. Let me say straight away that I have brought other matters to the attention of Sandwell Police but the lack of communication has been truly woeful.

Following my initial complaint I travelled all the way to West Bromwich where an officer told me the matter would be referred to the CPS for legal advice as it was an unusual and esoteric matter. I was happy with that but nothing happened.

After I wrote to you in August I received a letter from CI Sean Phillips saying the matter was to be passed to Inspector P. Rowe. He kindly telephoned and admitted that nothing had been done and that the matter had most definitely not [been] passed to the CPS for [advice]. He promised me a [further] phone call “within 7 days”. That was late August and it is now mid-October. I have heard nothing.

Since speaking to Inspector Rowe I have sent him additional complaints relating to Sandwell Councillors either delivered by recorded delivery of by hand but have not even had the courtesy of acknowledgement of receipt let alone a substantive response.

In my earlier letter to you I expressed my disquiet about the cosy relationship between Sandwell Police and Sandwell Council. It is noteworthy that there is a persistent rumour that a senior Councillor is a police informant. Social media is awash with WMP supporting the Council at every opportunity. I also note that my fresh allegations concern Councillor xxxxxxx xxxxxxx and that his picture appears on the Sandwell Local Policing & Crime Plan document 2014/2015 slap bang next to that of your Chief Superintendent Mark Robinson.

I enclose a copy of a letter with FURTHER allegations relating to xxxxxx xxxxxx but I have to say that I am rapidly losing faith in Sandwell Police being willing to conduct an impartial investigation. Can you please review this sorry saga again as soon as practicable.

May I just add that the enclosed letter contains evidence that two pieces of land have been sold by Sandwell Council to xxxxxxx xxxxxxx at under-valuations. Those operating the WMP twitter feed said this was nothing to do with WMP! I beg to differ. There are very serious amounts of money involved here – possibly around £1m on [one] plot and this requires immediate investigation.

Yours faithfully,

As a result of this second complaint and other matters I was informed by Inspector Rowe that the Regional Fraud Team would be involved in "the other matters" but that the issues concerning various Labour councillors making false declarations on the Register of Interests would indeed be dealt with by the aforementioned DS Gilece. I duly wrote to him on 14th November, 2011. Again this letter dealt with certain other matters but here is an extract:

1. Lucy Cashmore - who I believe has constantly lied about her address (as confirmed by xxxxxx xxxxxxxx) so as to stand for election and to obtain payment of allowances from the taxpayer. Either she or her husband David Cashmore, have either lied to Birmingham City Council about their residency in Birmingham or they have told (the undoubted) truth and she has lied on her nomination papers to stand in Sandwell and on her Register of Interests. She has also lied about her employment position (until corrected very recently).

2. Tony Meehan - Of this person's full name is Anthony William Meehan he has lied about his ownership of property in Sandwell.

3.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

After all this I was then informed that DS Gilice would NOT be dealing with this after all and that it was being referred to The Regional Fraud Team. They then informed be that they would NOT be dealing with this and that various issues were being referred back to, wait for it, Sandwell Police! Here is my third and final (at least on this issue) complaint to the Chief Constable. Note the interesting story which I had only divulged verbally hitherto that there was an alleged cover-up of this issue by Sandwell Police.

THIRD COMPLAINT TO THE CHIEF CONSTABLE

Chris Sims OBE QPM DL

The Chief Constable

West Midlands Police

C/O Steelhouse Lane                                                                     BY HAND - 12/12/14

Dear Mr Sims,

Third and Final Complaint

I am on the side of law and order. If you take some time to speak with xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

There’s the bouquet but now for the brickbat! I am heartily sick of the way WMP have been dealing with my complaints concerning false declarations by various councillors in Sandwell in the Register of Members’ Interests.This is a criminal offence which WMP are apparently choosing to ignore. Why?

If the story is true (see below) WMP officers have actually colluded to prevent the proper investigation of one incident. Why?

I am not going to set out all my blogs on this subject as they can be easily accessed via thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com and I specifically reserve the right to put all my correspondence with you and WMP in the public domain ON THIS ISSUE ALONE (xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx).

You have had two letters from me on this subject already and this will be the last. I will have to take other action in the absence of a satisfactory response. If you are going to get an underling to reply please ensure that it is someone who is au fait with the facts!

I started submitting details to WMP concerning all this back in JULY. I attended Sandwell Police at West Bromwich Police Station twice and handed in copies of the actual statutory provisions that apply here. My initial complaint was concerning Cllr Cashmore (more below). I think it is fair to say that Sandwell Police viewed my complaint as a joke and they certainly took no action upon it even when I produced further evidence of other councillors doing the same thing.

In the general scheme of things it may be relatively unimportant but the law is there for a specific purpose ie so that councillors “play straight” and do not conceal facts which may influence their decision-making. You hold a lofty position but it is not up to you to unilaterally decide to ignore this particular offence.

The (summary) offence can ONLY be prosecuted via the police and CPS and I have made out a prima facie case in all but one instance that the named councillors have made  false declarations. There is a potential defence available to them in respect of “reasonable excuse” but unless these people are interviewed under caution how can a prosecution even be considered? Why has this NOT been done?

You will recall from my previous complaints that I was fobbed off by Sandwell Police (eg “we will take advice from the CPS” - which was never done) and then the matter landed with Inspector Rowe. After another period of apparent inactivity I was SPECIFICALLY told that the RFT were to take over investigations into possible fraud and corruption but that these possible offences were to be transferred to DS Gilece. I am now told by DS Haynes that this is not the case and, once again, these possible offences appear to be floating in the ether somewhere and with no police action being taken.

I have been asking since July for a crime reference number in respect of Cashmore but have not been given one. Why not?

Let me deal with the possible cases individually in two groups:

Group 1.

1. Lucy Cashmore. This is a real problem for me. Cashmore has lived for years in South Birmingham (she still does) and was not entitled to stand as a Councillor in Sandwell. She did so by claiming (as she STILL does) that she lives at the address of her parents (the Hortons - who are both councillors). You will see from my recent blogs that since 1st December (and three and a half years post-election) she has now gone on the electoral register at both addresses. Now there is a story in Sandwell that someone complained about this shortly after the election and that Sandwell Police actively colluded xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx to cover it up. It is said that an officer xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx You are the expert here but for once I will tell you how to do your job. Go and speak to xxxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxx xxxx since they will be able to tell you where she has been living for the last few years! Quite frankly, and if you will excuse the vernacular, this lady has been - and still is - taking the piss. She is also getting thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money each year by way of allowances that she is not entitled to. I will NOT let this matter drop.

2. Anthony Meehan. This is the most minor case and as in previous correspondence with SMBC hinges on whether Tony Meehan and Anthony Meehan registered at the same address are one and the same person. He has NOT amended his register of interests since my blog and so if the “two” are, in fact, one and the same person he should be interviewed UNDER CAUTION as to why he has lied and why he continues to do so.

3. Steven Frear (I have put this case in Group 1 although I have passed certain information to xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx). As my recent blogging shows this character is living in a Sandwell Council house with his brother/half-brother, Paul Kerton, who is a Sandwell Council employee. He claims on the register to own the house and makes no mention of Kerton’s residence there.

Group 2.

This small group of 2 are connected with dubious land-sales xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

1. Mohammad Rouf - he has lied about his occupation. He claims to be unemployed but effectively runs a chemists shop in Shireland Road, Smethwick AND he has a Birmingham City Council private hire taxi licence. xxxxx xxxxxx is investigating a land sale by Sandwell Council to his son.

2. Mahboob Hussain. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx but lied on the register of interests about his and his family’s interests is an taxi firm which was awarded part of two large contracts via Sandwell Council. Even if YOU consider the other cases trivial surely you cannot ignore this one (although, as above, the prima facie case has been made out in all the above cases - save for the case of Meehan where the prima facie case will be shown depending on an identity check - and so I simply cannot understand why these people are not being interviewed under caution)? Will you please explain that to me?

I am sending a copy of this to a media contact in London.

Yours faithfully,

Of course, certain things have changed since the above. Cashmore has fessed up to lying about her employment - currently with the Express and Star Group - (but not her address) and Meehan has acknowledged that he lied about owning his property.

I also invited the police to check whether David Cashmore (husband of Lucy and an employee of SMBC) was claiming a council tax reduction for single occupancy at xx Lindsworth Road, Birmingham if Lying Lucy was not living there.

Incidentally, it is not illegal to be at two addresses on the electoral register PROVIDED THAT YOU ACTUALLY LIVE AT BOTH ADDRESSES. So Cashmore has now registered via individual voter registration at both and she is eligible to vote in the May local elections for Labour in both Smethwick and Brandhall in South Birmingham (though she can only vote once in the General Election). How good is that!

Rouf sold his own house but was allocated a council house by Sandwell Labour and continues to do what he says is "voluntary work" at the chemists. Since January he no longer holds a Birmingham private hire licence. The seven-bedroom house built on land sold to his son by Sandwell Labour is nearing completion (or may even now be complete).

The Chief Constable referred my letter to the Professional Standards Department of WMP who said on 12th January, 2015 that an Inspector xxxxxxx would contact me "in due course". Over three months later I have heard absolutely nothing!

In the meantime I also returned a form Professional Standards sent me. My scanner is broken but the relevant part shows that they have completely misunderstood my complaint! This is what they say:

"Mr Saunders alleges WMP are failing to investigate a corruption allegation relating to Sandwell Council whereby it is alleged a Councillor has sold council properties at an "undervalued" price to family members".

By handwritten reply was:

"No I am NOT. How careless is this? The [possible] corruption IS being investigated by Regional Fraud Team. I am complaining about prima facie breaches of law re Register of Interests by a number of Councillors! Pathetic!

And there we are - over three months later and absolutely zilch.

Addendum 19/04/15 - as if by magic a letter arrived yesterday - 18th April - from the Professional Standards [sic] Department saying that my concerns are now being investigated! To be fair to West Midlands Police the letter is dated (for what that is worth) 15th April and there is a stamp for 16th April on the back of the envelope.

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