Forum Topic

Hounslow Homes and Council in Private Eye - again!

Report to be submitted to the audit committee on Thursday regarding the council being defrauded "out of hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of materials and labour by staff at Hounslow Homes". Details include "routine theft, private jobs, work done on employees and friend's homes, jobs dished out via family connections, a culture of bullying, domineering and controlling sexual harassment, and abuse of hospitality and expenses, with managers enjoying jollies such as rugby matches and days at the races".The CPS had decided no prosecution was possible "because of the way the early stages of the investigation in 2013 had been mishandled by, er, Hounslow Homes' senior management!" 

Vanessa Smith ● 4071d53 Comments

Anyone read the report in the Chronicle into the missing money/fraud at Hopeless Homes? Apparently reports on internal audit and fraud prevention measures since the theft were not reported to the committee by officers? Didn't anyone have the nous to ask why these had been omitted and ask for them to be produced? After what's gone on I'd be checking anything and everything, what is wrong with these people?

Vanessa Smith ● 4060d

Maybe Vanessa should stand for us? You will get my vote....

Rakesh Patel ● 4060d

Ruth Cadbury wants us to vote for her in May next year, because of reading some posts on this forum  there is no way my X is going her way

Paul Allen ● 4060d

Not sure if it's the time of year but I have to agree with you! On this occasion I happen to think Ed has been stitched up like the proverbial kipper. Cllr. Sampson has decided she wants nothing to do with the argument and has taken herself off until the return to work after the New Year, we have to wonder why? And I do think someone is leaning on Ed. I have sympathy for Lin Green who is still new to the job and who does talk to people and is approachable. However, part of your job as a councillor is to stand up for your constituents and sod the officers who are not always right, and I will say publicly I do believe this would not have happened on the ICG's watch. I remember a long time ago when I was a new councillor a very long serving and experienced old hand told me that a big majority was not a healthy thing to have, and he was right. It has brought with it an unacceptable, breath-taking arrogance, but these people should think on, what the electorate gave them can be taken away. And if people like me and mine are getting very upset and disappointed it doesn't bode well for Ruth's chances next year or this lot next time around. My Christmas message would be - find your backbone, stop being wussy and remember you're the elected members who are answerable to us, officers will still be there whatever your fate. This is not a popularity contest and if you happen to upset a few officers or tread on their toes so be it, we are the people that matter.

Vanessa Smith ● 4060d

“Someone needs to get a grip and understand what the function of a local authority and it's councilors is.” I totally agree Vanessa.  Whilst I respect that your political views may have differed to those of the ICG I think we all agree that in the good old days when Isleworth was represented in Council by Paul & Shirley  Fisher and Phil Andrews – the ICG put the people of Isleworth first.  Together with the ICG Syon Councilors,  they succeeded in pushing the Tories to  force through community engagement and turn the Council around from being Officer led to Councillor led.  I must admit that when Ed Mayne was elected he made all the right moves to maintain the impetus of community engagement and he was active on the streets of Isleworth, listening to the people and taking action. His fellow Isleworth Cllrs disappeared into obscurity and cared not a jot since they were elected. Ed was in effect the Knight in shining armour and he worked extremely hard at it.  Unfortunately officers were having none of it and somehow the party leadership has clipped his wings and forced him to tow the line and let officers run things again. (i.e. Colin Ellar & Corinna Smart)   Make no mistake there are some excellent officers in the Council and I am grateful to them for some of the hard work they have done – but there are still some pretty arrogant senior officers who will never accept what their function is and they are totally disinterested in residents’ views or input.It is a great shame that Ruth Cadbury, who has a great political brain, has not recognized the failings or has deliberately run away from the problems and is also disappearing into obscurity.  Her silence on all issues is quite deafening!!

Steve Taylor ● 4060d

I'm not sure what the council think of people in Isleworth but what with officers first of all taking it into their heads to cause a serious traffic problem with the removal of part of the median strip Dawes Ave/Twickenham Rd. Then this farce over turning an open space into some sort of equine leisure area -  and on neither occasion bothering about the people who live here, you can only conclude they are contemptuous of any meaningful engagement, and that goes for elected members as well. Someone needs to get a grip and understand what the function of a local authority and it's councillors is.

Vanessa Smith ● 4061d

Vanessa, I've sent you a PM regarding this.

Phil Andrews ● 4062d

I found this on the website of the Planning Policy Framework, Planning Practice Guidance, I have forwarded it to local members, the Leader and Ruth Cadbury, answer came there none. I am really beginning to get on people's nerves now but quite frankly things should never have been allowed to get to this stage,and they only have themselves to blame, I intend to be quite a pest. I believe this little park meets this criteria.Open space, green space and rights of way77 The Local Green Space designation will not be appropriate for most green areas or open space. The designation should only be used:•where the green space is in reasonably close proximity to the community it serves;•where the green area is demonstrably special to a local community and holds a particular local significance, for example because of its beauty, historic significance, recreational value (including as a playing field), tranquillity or richness of its wildlife; and•where the green area concerned is local in character and is not an extensive tract of land.

Vanessa Smith ● 4062d

It is quite staggering the arrogance shown by Officer on this matter and as you say Vanessa this small area is or at least use to be used by dog walkers from our estate and local kids having a kickaround with a ballMany years ago when I was a Councillor some residents suggested that part of this land could be used by some of the estate kids as a small allotment but the Council came up with any reason and excuse for this not to happen and then just simply allow horses to graze on the land without any residents being asked if they had objections or alternive ideasOne thing I do recall though was the fuss made by the residents on the St Margerets side of the River Crane who were appalled by the idea of "noisy and rowdy" Isleworh kids being encouraged to use a field so close to theit million pound houses and I still dont know how I kept a straight face when I visited one of these houses to hear their concerns

Paul Fisher ● 4063d

This is a small park just over the road from me, which was a children's play area and open space years ago. It borders the borough boundary with St. Margarets. It's been used primarily as a dog exercise area for many years, and frankly the council have done little but occasionally see the grass is cut. The Furniture Project borders it and their site is disgusting and is a target for fly tipping. Imagine our surprise therefore to find all of a sudden the park has been leased to someone who doesn't live here to graze horses, not a by your leave - nothing. Councillors admit they didn't pay attention when they were e-mailed by officers, and also that a clanger of almighty proportions has been dropped. It is designated Metropolitan open space and according to planning legislation it is for the community's benefit, of course arrogant officers don't appear to have checked this out, and have just gone ahead. The people around here - 400 odd households have a right to access and also to be consulted. Councillors have shown themselves to be totally ineffective and gutless. All I can say is if they think they can win this one they are seriously underestimating the fight they are going to have on their hands. It may well be the majority don't mind what the area is used for, that's fine, but at least do us the courtesy of acknowledging us and asking what we'd like to see - don't treat us like muppets. Big mistake.

Vanessa Smith ● 4063d

Which Park is this Vanessa ? It seems to be a blight in Hounslow. Councillors seem to be very easily massaged by officers or outside influences and seem to be utterly spineless when it comes to dealing with local and individual issues.It seems in planning, officers call all the shots.  Bullshit baffles brains but there seems to be a rather short supply of brains in councils, so even easier.I'll never forget seeing how at a planning meeting, the OS map detailing a development was altered to omit an electricity sub station which would (and and consequently has) cost a fortune to re-cable to allow the development. The cost though, renders the 'social housing' unviable or at the least, hugely expensive to the taxpayer for the small end result.The sharp eyed local who spotted this was consistently shouted down by the chair..one Steve Curran whenever he attempted to point this deletion out. To the point that the person got asked to leave.  Not one councillor or the officer would respond to questions post vote. Nor did any councillor ask a single pertinant question. Clearly several voting had not any interest and the majority were going to support an LBH application regardless of any opposition. The party must come before the plebs.As the client was LBH it was a rather undemocratic fit up. But the cost for the end result ( which are very nice houses to a very high spec) is massive to the point of reckless.

Raymond Havelock ● 4064d

As far as I have been told, and the FOI confirms that the council were approached about the lease of the park - officers notified councillors rather than 'consulted' in the proper sense. So off they went, I am awaiting another FOI to see who made the 'single member decision' as I think someone must have done that. However, looking at planning legislation and this being designated Metropolitan open space on the council's own admission, I don't think they bothered to check and they simply don't have the right to take this away and bar public access. What infuriates me is that councillors are rolling over and being so bloody feeble and not being pro-active in actually TELLING officers to sort it out and do a real consultation with the people who live around here. On their own admission they got it really wrong. If you know anymore than that I'd be grateful for the information.

Vanessa Smith ● 4064d

VanessaI know the matter you are referring to but are you certain that in this instance the impetus has come from council officers? Do you know anything about the people involved in using the park for this purpose?I'm not suggesting or implying anything in particular, but would it be reasonable for one to assume that you've looked into this from all possible angles?

Phil Andrews ● 4064d

I have been politically active for much of my adult life but just lately I have reached the stage when I understand why people have such a low opinion of politicians. We have a local issue where council officers have clearly overstepped their authority, and dropped a right clanger, but do you think any one of our local councillors is prepared to instruct these idiots that they really need to apologise and put matters right? Talk about feeble, they must take lessons in obfuscation, and fence sitting. I am minded to contact the Chair of the local Labour Party and suggest that before they allow people on the list for local council candidates they should make X-rays mandatory to reassure themselves they have spines. All I can say is I hope councillors remember who it is who vote, and it sure ain't the officers. I am truly appalled.

Vanessa Smith ● 4064d

Just goes to show what a fantastic job our Labour Council is doing.  Just imagine what they could do running the Country.

Robert Ayres ● 4064d

It seems good to me that Mary Macleod has taken the initiative and lead on this.

Steve Taylor ● 4065d

Mary Macleod MP has met with A2Dominion heads in Parliament yesterday.Other MPs were invited such as Nick Hurd, Angie Bray, Seema Malhotra, and others. A2 Dominion is a serious issue in the housing sector as they have lost their "raison d etre" (charity social housing provider) and became greedy entering the private market and released more than £150m bond.They are money making machine receiving public funds and treating residents (their Clients) as cash cows.A2 Dominion must be stopped and investigated.Let's hope our MPs have now understood how serious the issue is..

Emanuele Sozzi ● 4065d

Nah nah na nah nahhhhh

William Prentice ● 4066d

Raymond, you did not suggest I had any connection, I just added a disclaimer to make it clear I did not. I have neither condoned or condemned Cllr Bell, I have asked for some restraint in the pitchfork/burning torches tendency until further explanation is given.........

Iain Muir ● 4066d

Iain.Where do I suggest you have any connection or involvement with A2D?Or indeed any connection with this councillor?  Nowhere.As for Mr Bell, I have asked questions because this arrangement is not the norm and the questions have to be asked. And those questions are ethical not personal.I have asked questions? And question that have been floating around for quite some time.And as taxpayers funding the likes of A2D and others as well as placing our trust in councillors who we vote for, these questions need to be asked.Everyone has this right and it is up to the editor to decide if it is worded unfairly.As for Hounslow and here in Brentford. A2D have a major presence and a social housing provider and a large amount of disaffected tenants. Something politicians locally are aware of but have struggled to get resolution.Which is why I am suggesting a full investigation.

Raymond Havelock ● 4067d

Yes, that is the rumour I've heard, I am hoping that it is just a rumour. I guess only time will tell.

Vanessa Smith ● 4067d

VanessaAre we talking here about in Hounslow?

Phil Andrews ● 4067d

Raymond, you have made serious allegations here, are you aware of how you are at risk of legal action? I forget whether its defamation, libel or slander but your post is a publication and you are responsible for it. You might wish to retract. I have no connection with A2 or Cllr Bell and as far as I know have not met him. Unlikely he or A2  would bother but just some friendly advice.......

Iain Muir ● 4067d

The fact is ordinary residents owning another property would never be allowed to do this for their own family circumstances. Not in this area and not in the last 20 years plus.Plenty of families have elderly parents children and even their children living in one house and manage OK.Plenty are well above the poverty line and most would never be able to afford the luxury of a second house. Not in West London. Social housing is supposed to be for those of modest means and the criteria for that is quite strict.It's already abused by queue jumpers who have contributed nothing, now we have people of more than modest means pulling a flanker as well.It can only be on a favour for a favour, through connections and strings being pulled.Clearly the use of politics and the favouritism shown to A2D by Ealing over the 3 to 4 years goes deeper.Any other business and this would be an immediate suspension pending a full independent investigation.Long overdue in any case.

Raymond Havelock ● 4067d

Theres a huge difference with owning more than one property if you earn and pay for them with your own earnings.Very different if you own one home and then have another intended for those with lesser means.

Anthony Waller ● 4067d

"there are lots of tory politicians with multiple homes but I don't think the Mail will highlight them, strange that!.."If one of the homes is social housing I guess the public has a right to know about it.

Steve Taylor ● 4067d

I posted the following on the ActonW3 site yesterday following a post from a friend of mine who is a local tory politician..... "there are lots of tory politicians with multiple homes but I don't think the Mail will highlight them, strange that!..... A social housing tenancy requires the tenant to hold the property as his/her 'Only or principle home' I imagine Mr Bell does not want his personal circumstances on view to all and sundry but if he says he has been 'open and transparent' I imagine that he has good reason to keep his family connection to the tenancy and this is acceptable to the landlord. A number of reasons are possible but I will not speculate on here........" There are further posts but more about the state of housing than Cllr Bell. I am sure more details will emerge in due course......I think its too early for you to get the pitchforks and burning torches out.......

Iain Muir ● 4067d

"I'm sure there are thousands of families with issues on caring for elder family members. But rich or poor they would get no help from A2D or any other Housing association. And have a private owned property?"Indeed - these people live in another world. He should not hold public office. The Labour Party should launch a full investigation.

Steve Taylor ● 4067d

The explanation offered by this Councillor is almost more incomprehensible.I'm sure there are thousands of families with issues on caring for elder family members. But rich or poor they would get no help from A2D or any other Housing association. And have a private owned property?It is clearly unethical at the very least.  I wonder how many others have scams like this going using wifes and partners names as a front?

Anthony Waller ● 4067d

Should be the other way round - all Housing Associations that receive taxpayers' money should be returned to local councils.

Ian Speed ● 4067d

Well I've heard that there is a possible move to 'outsource' all remaining council housing to housing associations, God forbid is all I can say! For all their many faults councils are better than any housing association.

Vanessa Smith ● 4067d

I saw this article after posting and could not believe it. But it does not totally surprise me after all I have heard about this Housing Association and Notting Hill as well. It vindicate rumours that have been circulating for quite a while albeit from an unexpected person. But it does kind of indicate something rotten is going on. Rumblings about A2D have been posted on this and a few other sites for quite some time.Did Cllr. Curran lay off residents concerns about A2D after getting leaned on by a neighbouring council leader who is clearly too close to A2D?Do A2D have local politicians and above in their pockets?Does this explain their rather underhand activities and how several politicians have backed away from helping constituents and the reluctance of Councils and MPs to get tough and legislate to make them transparent when it comes to handling taxpayer and ratepayers funding?Is this why Grant Shapps MP and Nick Hurd MP were moved from office when they started getting tough with A2D and other Housing Associations?This really is why the Housing mire needs complete investigation and revolutionary reform top to bottom.A lot of questions need to be asked. 

Anthony Waller ● 4067d

"At the very least, this looks like hypocrisy."Hypocrisy of the highest degree IMHO

Steve Taylor ● 4068d

It's funny how A2D and local councillors seem to be entwined. But this takes the biscuit.This was emailed to me this evening. Surely not another coincidence? But either way truly disgraceful.This is why Housing Associations need to be investigated fully.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2873049/Labour-chief-social-housing-owns-1m-home-round-corner-Councillor-branded-hypocrite-buying-property-staying-housing-association-tennant.html

Raymond Havelock ● 4068d

Hi Raymondare you a resident with A2D?We have been pushing a lot all local politicians including Mary Macleod, Ruth Cadbury, Corinna Smart and Steve Curran but so far A2D look retry much untouched.Steve Curran seems to be very much involved with A2D cause has done nothing even if he's very much aware of so many residents suffering in the LBH. Maybe we should Have him investigated by the government Ombudsman...

Emanuele Sozzi ● 4068d

While working on the construction of the new Red Lion in 1963 / 64 I asked a question as to why the short bit of dual carriage way was  built beside it.The General Forman of the site said, that’s the width of the new road that’s going to run from Kew Bridge through to Hounslow.The new pub we were building was allegedly built from compensation money paid to Fullers for the loss of about 4 or 5 pubs along the that stretch of road.The old Red Lion stood on the corner of Ealing Road Brentford High Street from years after still awaiting demolition we thought, as most of the old high street had already been pulled down to make way for the new road.The new road never got built and the answers to questions why it was never really started sounded like a complete fabrication.One answer was the canal bridge and the railway bridge soon after was to hard to get that size of road past them, so the road was shelved.I think the Developers of the time completed the more profitable half of the development, made their excuses and left leaving Brentford a much worse place than they started.In Isleworth around the same time, an Internal stairway of one of the Ivy Bridge Estate  tower blocks collapsed, which stopped work for quiet a long time, maybe it was a sign that this development shouldn’t have gone ahead in the form it was. Hounslow has certainly had some cowboys building social housing over the years.

Paul Allen ● 4068d

I've heard enough about A2D locally to make as Anthony says, feel very lucky to not have to be in their clutches.It really does need all party cohesiveness. The whole housing thing is wrong from top to bottom in this country which being an island short of space to develop should not be in the hands of foreign 'investors' or speculative developers.But it's clear that politicians and advisors do not have a very good grasp of the issues from planning right through to management and the antics of housing associations who are becoming what they were first set up to eliminate.I think the politicians are badly advised and influenced by people with vested interests - Just look how many MPs have affiliations with property developers estate agents and construction companies as well as UK councillors and PR companies.  It does not bode well for a revolution in this area which is what is needed. A very bold, fair and just reformation of housing from top to bottom.I would start with outlawing the commission based system for estate agents with a national standard of fixed fees. That will end the speculative nature that fuels greed.

Anthony Waller ● 4068d

Given that none of those mentioned have the slightest interest or sympathy where social housing is concerned I'd save my breath on that one!

Vanessa Smith ● 4068d

"and needs the government to step in and take a very close look at what is going on in social housing and exactly where the money injections are really going."So who should be approached if the Leader of the Council is allegedly so useless??  The Housing Minister or Eric Pickles or.....??? Is this something that should be elevated to Boris Johnson? What about our MP or even our PPC?

Steve Taylor ● 4069d

Not asking the right questions to the right people seems to be a problem within this council - and a few others.Steve Curran is quoted in the Chronical as saying LBH will not tolerate bad landlords or poor rented housing conditions.Yet he is fully aware of some awful situations affecting tenants of A2Dominion properties in this borough, Mr Curran has said all the right things to tenants and then evaded the issue and failed to deliver. Yet Housing Associations like A2D are deregistering as charities, Directors are awarding themselves huge salary increases, whilst becoming poor landlords and property managers.  All helped along with taxpayers money.They are indeed as bad if not worse, than Hounslow Homes but answerable it seems, to no-one. A2D have certainly managed to silence Mr Curran among others.The whole thing is a massive can of worms and needs the government to step in and take a very close look at what is going on in social housing and exactly where the money injections are really going.And local councillors need to get some b***s and make a stand with all landlords of a poor standard cowboy individuals or corporate.In the meantime there are a great many people suffering from poor quality buildings, management and nasty neighbours who are being treated like third class citizens and more so if they take the trouble to complain.We consider ourselves very lucky to not be in this situation, but I have a few friends and acquaintances and who are and it is simply nightmarish.

Raymond Havelock ● 4069d

This is a very good summation Vanessa. After all, the money spent by Hounslow Homes and their assets really belong to the estate tenants / leaseholders who are a large proportion of all councillors' constituents.

Ian Speed ● 4069d

Although I think as an 'arm's length' outfit the blame lies at the feet of HH management, I just cannot understand why councillors weren't asking some searching questions a long time ago. After all how many times has HH's appalling performance been a topic on these forums? Certainly I was in touch with the then lead member Steve Curran and my local members, not because I had anything to do with HH but because I was witness to some really bizarre work and the fact homes were left standing empty for months on end, and  at a time when social housing is like gold bars. When I saw Steve Curran and spoke to him he said 'Keep up the good work!!'I pointed out it was HIS remit to look into things certainly not mine, and I know at least one local councillor was in despair at their dire goings-on, and that was just the ones we knew about! But that is no excuse, if you are aware how awful something is isn't it your duty as an elected member to start digging around and asking the questions? Let's be honest no-one comes out of this smelling of roses, but then when councillors let faceless officers lease public space to someone for their horses to graze over the heads of local people, I suppose anything is possible...................

Vanessa Smith ● 4069d

The very fact that nobody HAS been charged despite the extremely damning report that's just been published reflects very badly on those recently running HH or to a lesser extent the council's Housing service from the council.

Ian Speed ● 4070d

Absolutely none I'm afraid Jim.  And my involvement as Lead Member for Housing was not that recent, ending as it did over five and a half years ago - even though a recent poster here tried rather pathetically to implicate me by effectively airbrushing the time that has since passed from history.To be honest I have been reluctant to pass judgement on these events in the light of the fact that (a) nobody has been prosecuted or even charged, and (b) whatever did or did not happen, the publicity surrounding it all has fulfilled a very useful purpose for the administration at the Council by giving it a justification for bringing the service back in house, which has always been the objective for entirely unrelated reasons.That is not to say that I do not accept that the events happened, simply that the picture has been so fatally obscured by self-interest on the part of so many parties that to even try to make head or tail of what actually took place is by now singularly pointless. When I was Lead Member the main focus of my attention was always tenant and resident involvement, which was after all the basis upon which I had been elected.  That as we know was a casualty of the administration which replaced us, but to what extent it became involved in other areas of the operation I cannot say.

Phil Andrews ● 4070d

The Hounslow Chronicle covers the story...http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/local-news/no-civil-action-over-alleged-8277616I wonder if our own Phil Andrews is able to comment following his recent involvement with the Council / Hounslow Homes. Did he pick up any rumours on the grapevine about wrong-doing?

Jim Lawes ● 4070d

I have only read section 5 and it is shocking.

Sarah Felstead ● 4070d

Surely the officers and councillors holding the housing portfolios over the last 4 years or more should also be brought to account?Enough people have been highlighting odd goings on on this site as long as it has existed.So those in the know and with access to more than the public must have some sort of involvement or knowledge.All seems a bit dodgy.

Raymond Havelock ● 4070d

No, admittedly I haven't although these latest details have only just become public.

Ian Speed ● 4070d

Have you asked him to explain?

Anne England ● 4070d

I gather that Bernadette O'Shea left Hounslow Homes on a respectable early retirement basis, and was not sacked. She is thus enjoying a pension paid for by Hounslow Homes tenants whose interest she has woefully failed to protect. Perhaps the council leader Steve Curran should explain exactly why this comparatively recent sequence of events was allowed to occur even after the fraud allegations emerged.

Ian Speed ● 4070d

Got to be a case for senior staff at Hounslow Homes to be prosecuted under the Misconduct in Public Office law. Hounslow Homes tenants have lost out badly on this and should demand that the council takes the most severe action possible or else why should they pay their rent?

Ian Speed ● 4070d

Paul Allen has provided this very helpful link:http://democraticservices.hounslow.gov.uk/documents/s110786/Hounslow%20Homes%20Update%20Report%20-%20Fraud%20Investigation%20and%20Improvement%20Measures%20-%20Appendix.pdfIt all seems appalling.

Jim Lawes ● 4071d

Good grief. You couldn't make it up!

Steve Taylor ● 4071d