Guest blog by Meg Howarth
It seems that the investigation in to the fake
online email support around Andrew Gillick’s original planning application for
Kensal Rise Library is now in the hands of Brent police. To date, it had
been understood that the Kensington and Chelsea force - the developer’s
office is sited in the borough - was dealing with the matter after it was
passed evidence and information about the misuse of addresses by the City
Police National Fraud and Investigation Bureau (NFIB) - Wembley Matters, 27
February.
Today, however, west London journalist Hannah Bewley is reporting that
the local force is now in charge of the inquiry in to whether the allegation of
fraud can be substantiated. This is allegedly because Brent
Council is technically the ‘victim’ in this sordid affair - it was to the
council planning department that the emails were sent.
As the council spokesman quoted in the Local Government Chronicle on 6
November 2013 stated: ‘It is clear that a number of the emails came from bogus
email addresses but, unfortunately, it is not so clear that
this necessarily constitutes a criminal offence’ LINK
Evidence of misuse of addresses was first brought to the council’s attention in
September of last year, and today’s update suggests a police decision is likely
to take some time yet: ‘Due to the complex nature of the evidence, the [Brent police] review
may take a while for a decision to be arrived at’. It
is six months since the matter was reported to the council, How much longer
must local residents wait?
To
some local residents the handing over of the inquiry to Brent police appears
like a downgrading of the affair. If Brent Council is the victim, why was the
matter ever sent over to the Kensington and Chelsea force? Was this
incompetence by the NFIB or a misunderstanding?
Meantime,
Andrew Gillick submitted a revised change-of-use planning application for the
Kensal Rise Library site on 7 March...
