Bailiffs have visited Lambeth town hall, a response to a Freedom of Information request by fellow news website Brixton Buzz has revealed.
News From Crystal Palace were also aware of the rumoured visit. Bailiffs were said to have bowled up with a court order for £1 million damages following a social services case in the High Court which the chief executive Andrew Travers knew nothing of.
Because he hadn’t even been told about it.
The original Freedom of Information request from Brixton Buzz’s Jason Cobb dated March 9th reads:
Dear Lambeth Borough Council,
Please can you tell me the number of times any bailiffs have called at either Lambeth Town Hall or Lambeth Civic Centre in the past twelve months.
I would also like to know the amount requested to be recovered, if any visits took place.
Please also tell me the final financial settlement resulting from any visits from a bailiff.
Yours faithfully, Jason Cobb
On April 29th he requests an internal review. Finally, on May 12th, he gets this answer:
Your request and our response
1. Please can you tell me the number of times any bailiffs have called at either
Lambeth Town Hall or Lambeth Civic Centre in the past twelve months.
Enforcement agents have attended at the council offices on four occasions in the past twelve months
2. I would also like to know the amount requested to be recovered, if any visits
took place.
£1,004,409.69
i
ii £1,961.28
iii £2,855.60
iv £4,268.20
The judgment in case (i) was set aside by the court.
3. Please also tell me the final financial settlement resulting from any visits from a
bailiff.
£0.00
i
ii £1,961.28 iii £2,855.60
iv £4,268.20
The judgment in case (i) was set aside by the court.
News From Crystal Palace felt the response begged further questions so on Friday May 13th we asked Lambeth council:
Please could you confirm:
1: That, initially, the bailiffs left with a cheque for £500,000?
2: That chief executive Andrew Travers was unaware of the case until the bailiffs turned up?
3: Was the case, as Brixton Buzz reports, a consequence of legal staff moonlighting?
Please could you also clarify:
4: Is it the case, as Brixton Buzz says, that the Lambeth legal team were allowed to pick up freelance work elsewhere?.
5: Is it correct, as Brixton Buzz states, that they missed the Court papers and final demands relating to the case.?
6: Under whose authority, if any, were the legal team allowed to pick up freelance work elsewhere? Was this matter ever discussed by cabinet or any council committee?
7: What disciplinary action, if any, is being taken or has been taken over this issue?
8: If the bailiffs did leave with a cheque for £500,000 – or any other amount – has all of that money been returned?
9: If the full amount has not been returned, how much have Lambeth received so far?
10: What actions are Lambeth taking or have taken to recover the outstanding monies?
11: Is there any further legal action set to take place? The FOI answers say the judgement has been set aside. Is this case being taken back to court by the original plaintiffs and / or their legal representatives?.
12: If the case has, as the answer to the FOI request states, been set aside, is this pending an appeal by Lambeth?
13: Will this matter be going to cabinet or committee at some point in the future?
And requested a response by Monday 16th.
Unfortunately no response has arrived. News From Crystal Palace have today (Friday May 20th) put the same questions, but this time as a Freedom of Information request with the following additions:
Should you feel that answering all the above would exceed a certain staffing time limit then I would wish to confine my initial requests to questions 8, 9 and 10.
Then, if time still permits, questions 2, 3 AND 4. Many Thanks.
(Sources: WhatDoTheyKnow website, Brixton Buzz)
Further reading:
Bailiffs Visits to Lambeth Town Hall and Lambeth Civic Centre
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CROYDON:
Croydon’s first-ever elected Mayor Jason Perry has announced his council cabinet – and they’re all Tories.
But the chair of the council’s scrutiny and overview committee will be held by the opposition.
“This will enable a greater level of scrutiny, ensuring the council makes the best decisions for our residents” says a council statement.
Cabinet appointments announced are:
- Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes – Councillor Lynne Hale
- Cabinet Member for Finance – Councillor Jason Cummings
- Cabinet Member for Children and Young People – Councillor Maria Gatland
- Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care – Councillor Yvette Hopley
- Cabinet Member for Community Safety – Councillor Ola Kolade
- Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration – Councillor Jeet Bains
- Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment – Councillor Scott Roche
- Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture – Councillor Andy Stranack
A council statement says: “The Mayor has met with representatives from all parties over the last two weeks to strongly encourage Croydon’s newly elected councillors to work together for residents.”
Jason Perry said: “We plan to push the reset button and rebuild trust with local people, listening to them and prioritising the issues they have told us are most important.
The council are first and foremost here to serve our residents and it is important that we become a more outward focused organisation in the services and policies we deliver for them.”
Mayor Perry’s cabinet will be presented at Croydon’s annual council meeting next week (Wednesday 25 May). Source: Croydon council press release
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KWAJO – HOUSING CAMPAIGNER WINS AWARD
Here’s one he made earlier:
…and here’s his latest (MPs please note):
NEWS FROM CRYSTAL PALACE 