Councillor John Duffy (Kilburn) recounts his experience of trying to represent workers and relatives over the Paddington Cemetery asbestos dump. Background
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A strange thing happened to me last week (Tuesday 5th
December). I was made aware of a Internal Audit meeting concerning the
discovery of asbestos in Paddington Cemetery. I had raised the issue sometime
ago after the council stopped new burials in the cemetery and would only reopen
graves to intern the “next of kin”. The reopening takes place using a
special contractor. The contractors are in breathing masks and white overalls.
They remove the old soil and replace it with new uncontaminated soil for the burial.
I requested a copy of the report as the person who raised
concerns in June. Originally I had asked for an independent report as I
feared that the report would not be transparent and there could be seen as a
cover-up, unless it was open to local residents and the relatives (bereaved) of
the people who are buried in the area of concern. An independent investigation
would allow the public to witness the impartiality of the report and the
seriousness of the situation.
However this requested was turned down by the CEO Instead
the CEO decided to have an internal audit report which would exclude the press
and the public .The reasons given for the secrecy of the report was because
there was information relating to financial affairs of a particular person or
companies.”
The Head of Legal informed me via officers that I would
not be allowed to have a copy of the report. I challenged this and finally
received an email from legal services stating “All members are
entitled to ‘inspect’ reports with certain categories of
exempt information, rather than receive a copy. If you would like to come to
the Civic Centre prior the meeting to inspect the report physically in
this instance.” Why do senior officer think its necessary to act in
this bizarre way to stop me getting information. This was done even though
in the terms of reference for the report, it states the reason for the internal
audit report is “ following concerns raised by Cllr John Duffy in an email
dated 10th November” so the decision to exclude me from having a
copy is strange to say the least.
Anyway I went to the Civic centre at 4pm,2hrs before the
meeting was due to take place to read the report .I was met by 2 (male )
members of legal services with the report. I was informed. I was allowed to read the report only under
their supervision, but could not remove it or photograph it. I am bound by
the secrecy imposed on me by the Head of legal , which means if I am approached
by any member of the public , who has a relative buried on the Hill ,I have to
tell them they are not allowed to know what happen or how the asbestos got
there….. Now that is what you call transparency Brent Style.
At the meeting I ask the Chair of the Audit committee
to overturn the Head of Legal decision not to allow me a copy of the report. He did this and his decision was supported by
the other members of the committee which included Councillors Choudry, Nerva,
Davidson and Perrin. However, even though I was then given a copy , I am still
not allow to share the information contained within it.
I informed the chair of the meeting I will not make public
anything I have read in the report after he released the report to me. I intent
to honour that , with one exception .Officers were wrong and misleading
to say the reasons given for the secrecy of the report was because there was
information relating to financial affairs of a particular person or companies.”
There is no such information in the report and all names have redacted and the names
of the companies involved have been disguised, therefore there is no information,
which should be kept from the public.
Whereas I am committed not to discuss the contents of the
report I will reiterate things I raised in my previous emails. The act of
placing the contaminated waste in Paddington Cemetery was deliberate (any
ordinary member of the public could spot the difference between a
delivery of soil and a delivery of builders rubble) it was not an accident. The
cost to the council will be well over a million pounds in lost revenue and I
have further concerns about the way the public have been treated since the
asbestos was discovered in May this year.
The whole thing is a farce and is right out of a
Kafka novel .Why senior officers think that it is
necessary to stop the local residents and the relatives of those buried
knowing the truth so they can make plans for their future family
burial arrangements is disgraceful..
As I said before this an attempt by senior officers to
rely on the Cabinet, who will nod it through without question and ensure that
the facts are kept from the public .
I will continue to seek an independent investigation for
the sake of the relatives.
