tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post7616952501643255577..comments2024-03-28T09:45:17.708+00:00Comments on WEMBLEY MATTERS: The Cara Davani Saga - objections to Brent’s 2015/16 Accounts to be investigatedUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-2992016121800454362016-12-02T20:00:46.665+00:002016-12-02T20:00:46.665+00:00FURTHER UPDATE:-
On 30 November I sent Conrad Hal...FURTHER UPDATE:-<br /><br />On 30 November I sent Conrad Hall (Brent's Chief Finance Officer) a list of the documents (directly relevant to my objection) that I would like to see in advance of a proposed meeting between objectors and himself and Carolyn Downs (Chief Executive).<br /><br />On 2 December he replied:<br />'I have previously set out in our correspondence in August of this year that the Council will not disclose to you the documents that you requested at that time. My view on that has not changed.<br /> <br />You sent, on 30 November 2016, a request for sight a substantial number of further documents, as well as repeating some of your earlier requests. I do not anticipate providing these, but I think that when we meet next week that should be a matter that we discuss.'<br /><br />... and he wrote on 22 November: 'I do not want to be unhelpful ...' !!!<br /><br />I am still willing to work with Brent Council, along with the four other objectors to its £157k "pay-off" to Cara Davani, to see whether we can resolve at least some of the differences between us, but it will need a change of attitude by Senior Officers at the Civic Centre if anything is to be achieved.<br /><br />Philip.Philip Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08216646114377430489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-31777419738949856252016-11-23T19:42:01.282+00:002016-11-23T19:42:01.282+00:00UPDATE:-
I have received a letter from Conrad Hal...UPDATE:-<br /><br />I have received a letter from Conrad Hall (Brent's Chief Finance Officer), and understand that he has sent similar letters to the other four local electors who objected to the Council's accounts 'on the matter of the settlement payment to its former HR Director' (as the letter puts it).<br /><br />He is proposing that the five people should agree to "share" their objections, so that the Council could hold one collective meeting to discuss the issues raised, rather than holding five separate meetings. I have replied to agree that this would be a sensible way forward.<br /><br />I don't know whether Mr Hall has read my "guest blog" above (I had sent him and Carolyn Downs, Brent's Chief Executive, a link to it two days before he wrote to me), but he has also invited me (and presumably the other objectors) to let him have details, in advance of any meeting, of any documents we may wish to see as part of the process. <br /><br />He does say, however:<br />'I should stress at the outset that the Council is not obliged to provide documents, except as laid out in the relevant legislation and regulations. I do not want to be unhelpful, and where reasonably appropriate I will of course provide information, but you must understand that I must at this stage reserve the right not to.'<br /><br />I have not yet sent in my request for the list of documents I would like to see, in advance of the proposed joint meeting of objectors with Mr Hall. "Anonymous 20 November at 20:23" has already pointed me in the direction of some useful documents to request in respect of the "redundancy payment" to Andy Potts. If he/she or any other present or former Brent employees can suggest any other documents that it would be useful for me to see in relation to objections (a) to (d) in my blog above, I would be grateful if they would add a comment (in reply to this one) during the next two days. Thank you.<br /><br />Philip.Philip Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08216646114377430489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-69254571909431588762016-11-21T14:05:51.033+00:002016-11-21T14:05:51.033+00:00Dear Anonymous (20 November at 20:23):
Thank you ...Dear Anonymous (20 November at 20:23):<br /><br />Thank you for this information. <br /><br />Are you able to give a bit more detail, please, such as who sent the emails asking if senior lawyers wanted to take redundancy, the approximate date they were sent and whether any others in Brent's Legal Services were actually made redundant as a result of this "reorganisation"? Thank you.<br /><br />Philip.Philip Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08216646114377430489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-9103170216413652532016-11-20T23:35:20.761+00:002016-11-20T23:35:20.761+00:00Doesn't the smell of putrid sewage become appa...Doesn't the smell of putrid sewage become apparent?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-46317354276808799612016-11-20T20:23:01.081+00:002016-11-20T20:23:01.081+00:00I was there when Andy Potts was 'made redundan...I was there when Andy Potts was 'made redundant' it wasn't done in the normal way whereby the department was restructured with consultation. Some of the senior staff in that department were sent emails asking if they wanted to take redundancy which made us think it was hurriedly done so Potts could get some money to go with Davani. Just sayingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-26110654555716910432016-11-20T18:37:02.524+00:002016-11-20T18:37:02.524+00:00Well they can't complain then when the comeupp...Well they can't complain then when the comeuppance happens then can they. What fools!!!Anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-10261059510186729362016-11-20T14:11:08.690+00:002016-11-20T14:11:08.690+00:00Dear Anonymous at 10:24,
Your comment has reminde...Dear Anonymous at 10:24,<br /><br />Your comment has reminded me of something that I wrote in an email to a member of Brent's Cabinet TWO YEARS AGO (November 2014). <br /><br />In referring to Brent's decision to appeal against the Rosemarie Clarke Employment Tribunal judgement, and the actions of Christine Gilbert, Fiona Ledden (then Brent's Legal Director) and Cara Davani, I wrote:<br /><br />'To put it bluntly, the situation over this appeal stinks. The more that Senior Officers (and Councillors?) at the Civic Centre try to cover it up, the more putrid will be the smell when it becomes public knowledge. There is always a possibility that the facts will remain concealed, but is that a risk you can, or should, take?'<br /><br />I think that the answer to your question is "Yes", while the answer to my question of November 2014 should have been "No".<br /><br />PhilipPhilip Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08216646114377430489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-64609129075386150692016-11-20T10:24:54.081+00:002016-11-20T10:24:54.081+00:00Has the stink become a stench?Has the stink become a stench?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-56766534497027641582016-11-19T22:08:15.953+00:002016-11-19T22:08:15.953+00:00Well done Philip and Cllr John Warren.Well done Philip and Cllr John Warren.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-33734445489269971012016-11-19T19:54:00.669+00:002016-11-19T19:54:00.669+00:00Dear Anonymous at 17:08,
Thank you for your suppo...Dear Anonymous at 17:08,<br /><br />Thank you for your support and encouragement. Andy Potts DID receive a pay-off from Brent, in addition to the £157,610 paid to his partner, Cara Davani. Brent confirmed to me in early August 'that Mr Potts was made redundant following a reorganisation in legal services, and received the council’s standard terms in such situations.' <br /><br />It is almost certain that his was one of the ten "Exit Package" payments listed in Brent's 2015/16 accounts (apart from the Cara Davani pay-off) in excess of £60,000, and his may have been one of the three highest payments, of between £100k and £150k.<br /><br />If you, or any other reader (especially if you were employed by the Council at the time), has any information about the reorganisation in Brent's Legal Services department which gave rise to Andy Potts being "made redundant" around June 2015, please let me have the details. You can do this (in confidence) by email - see note at the end of the article above - or as a comment (Anonymous, if necessary) below. Thank you.<br /><br />Philip.Philip Granthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08216646114377430489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2129943063330427887.post-20315908291023459512016-11-19T17:08:54.634+00:002016-11-19T17:08:54.634+00:00Thanks for this Philip. I have been wondering when...Thanks for this Philip. I have been wondering when some news was going to become available. I had also planned to add my voice as an objector to the auditors but sadly could not get my things together in time. If we did make any kind of sweetener to Andy Potts this makes it even more disgraceful and makes the whole stink much worse. This is particularly so when it is considers what has happened to decent people who have had to suffer the consequences of the failures and inadequacies of past council officers who then did "a runner".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com