Dodgy Taxi Sevice??

Earlier in the year Croydon Green Party looked into this and put in a FOI request. We held back on sending this press release to the media because.... the local papers were also read Private Eye! However, we have now received from the Council ten lengthy documents. We are now wading through them.

1/2/2010

PRESS RELEASE immediate

CROYDON COUNCIL IMPLICATED IN ALLEGED TAXI SERVICE CONTRACT CORRUPTION

The Croydon Green Party has become aware of a worrying story involving the apparent misallocation of millions in Croydon taxpayers’ money.

A recent Private Eye article has revealed that a heavily indebted, failing minicab company without the resources to provide the requisite services has been suspiciously awarded a £6.5 million contract by Croydon Council whilst cheaper, better qualified alternative tenders were overlooked.

Five years earlier, Private Eye first reported on the questionable award of a £20 million special needs schools transport contract by Southwark Council to Olympic South, a minicab firm, replacing the existing contractor without adhering to proper tender processes and then allowing the company to begin operations without the legally required licences. The subsequent council inquiry was seriously hampered by the theft of a computer containing correspondence and emails relating to the award of the contract.

Olympic South have now been awarded another similar lucrative contract by Croydon Council, following advice from Michael Lawrence, former transport boss at Sutton Council. Private Eye notes that “senior Croydon council sources” claim better qualified and cheaper tenders were ignored and the majority of routes awarded to Olympic.

Olympic should have been excluded from consideration as the company did not have the resources to fulfil a major contract. As was the case in Southwark, Olympic were chosen in spite of the fact that the firm lacked the necessary number of vehicles and qualified staff to provide the services required and in spite of not possessing the requisite licences. Moreover, the firm recorded a loss of £565,508 last year and its balance sheet shows a deficit of almost a £1 million.

The final element to this malodorous cocktail is that Michael Lawrence, the official primarily responsible for the suspicious decision, has since left his job at Sutton council and waited a full day (30.09.09 – 01.12.10) to take up a new position as “Director of Services” at – unbelievably – Olympic South.

Commenting on these findings Shasha khan said:

“On the surface this whole episode has all the trappings of a banana republic. Upholding standards in public life is crucial to a healthy local democracy. Greater transparency in the awarding of contracts is vital. The Green Party has put in a Freedom of Information Act request, asking to see papers relating to the decision making process. If somehow undue favour has been given to Olympic South, whilst better qualified and cheaper tenders were ignored, then there will need to be a full enquiry.”

Ends

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Tony Benn gives the Weatherill Lecture

The Weatherill Lecture is named after Bernard Weatherill (25 November 1920 – 6 May 2007), the former speaker of the House of Commons. He was the Conservative MP for Croydon North East between 1964-92. The Weatherill Lecture will be an annual event organsied by a group of his Croydon friends who have formed The Weatherill Society. Tony Benn's lecture was on 'Citizenship and Integrity in Public Life'. Upon entering Croydon Parish Church, the venue for the event, those attending, which numbered around 300, were given a handout. The first paragraph notes....

THE WEATHERILL SOCIETY

The newly founded Society was initiated by a group of his Croydon friends who, having attended his memorial service in Westminster Abbey agreed that all of his fine "old fashioned" principals of honesty, integrity, decency and compassion are essential ingredients of a civilized society, The Weatherill Society will promote the qualities and virtues that he personified so that future generations might share his vision and values of public service not self service.

....powerful stuff and very appropriate for these times.

Revd Canon Colin J Luke Boswell introduced Tony Benn. The Vicar highlighted that Tony Benn got his inspiration from Marx and the Bible. Mr Benn then gave the lecture. He noted the major landmarks in the history of the Houses of Parliament alongside technological advances, and related these to his life, and the life of his father, grandfather and great grandfather.

After his speech the floor was open for questions.

I put my hand up and got a chance to ask him:

You were introduced as getting your inspiration from Marx; you mentioned in your lecture you were born in 1925. If Anthony Wedgewood Benn was not born in 1925 but in 1992 - and was 18 years of age - and decided to pursue a career in politics, which political party would he join?

I heard an audible teehee from the floor. To my dismay he answered the Labour Party, but he did go on to list what Marx teaches us.

For more info: weatherillsociety@yahoo.co.uk


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Tags croydon, greenparty

Civil servants strike over redundancy scheme

I received an email (below) from Melanie Janner from the PCS Union a week ago. On my way to work I took a detour to say hello to strikers outside Lunar House (Border Agency). It was a cold morning, so well done to all those that braved the conditions to picket.

Dear Shasha

Up to 6000 Civil Servants in Croydon will be striking on Monday 8th and Tuesday 9th March over changes to our redundancy scheme, the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS).

The changes will see thousands of civil servants lose thousands of pounds if they are made redundant and will significantly increase the chances of civil servants being made redundant or privatised. The changes will also allow individual government departments to set their own voluntary redundancy terms, including using mobility clauses in contracts to force staff to accept jobs in other parts of the country or lose their redundancy payments.

In the Home Office UK Border Agency where I work we already know that there are 700+ jobs being cut in Croydon in the next 12 months, if changes are made to the CSCS it is likely that more jobs will be cut or relocated out of Croydon.

Yours sincerely

Melanie Janner
PCS Union

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Why Vote Green by Shahrar Ali

A book entitled 'Why Vote Green' written by my friend and colleague Shahrar Ali has just been published. I received a copy through the post yesterday, and was 'umbled to see yours truly listed in the acknowledgements. Commissioned by Biteback publishing, the paperback is part of a series of 'Why Vote' books that explore the policies and commitments of the main political parties.
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Tags croydon, greenparty

Press release: Cycles lanes still haven't improved

19.02.10

Press Release:

OVER TWO YEARS HAVE PASSED AND STILL WE WAIT

Green Party parliamentary candidate for Croydon North, Shasha Khan, is again calling for Croydon Council to improve cycle lanes in the borough.

Shasha Khan said:

“It’s been over two years since Councillor Dudley Mead came on a cycle ride with us around the borough. He realised that cycling was good for the environment and people’s health and gave the impression after the ride that he was going to improve cycle routes. However, I am struggling to see any improvements. (1)”

Shasha Khan wrote to Councillor Mike Fisher in July 2007 asking him to join members and supporters of the Croydon Green Party on a cycle ride to show how dangerous it was to be cyclist in the borough. Councillor Fisher declined saying he “hadn’t been on his bike for years” and that “Coun Mead was the best man” to join the cyclists.

Shasha continued, “During the cycle ride, there was one specific junction, St James Park onto Windmill Road, presently, two way for cyclists and one way for cars, that caught Councillor Mead’s attention. He could clearly see the junction was an accident waiting to happen. However, over two years on, nothing has been done. (2)”

After experiencing the junction first hand, Councillor Dudley Mead advised the council officer David Wickens, who accompanied the cyclists on the day, to consult TFL to improve the junction.

Shasha Khan said:

“I am happy to show Councillor Mead the dangers of cycling around Croydon again.

“The Conservatives give the impression that they are ‘green’ but the reality is somewhat different. A cycling Mayor of London doesn’t automatically mean that people in Croydon are also going to get on their bikes. What will lead to an increase in cycle journeys are safe cycle routes but we get instead is ill thought out stunts like “Cycle Fridays” (3), cuts in the cycling budget (4) and apparent good intentions which are not acted upon.”


Ends

Notes:

1) Picture attached to this email from your original piece.
2) You tube link of the junction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLsloDzYZ9g
3)
3) http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=23132
Despite huge amounts of publicity, the Mayor’s “Cycle Fridays” have been an abject failure. There have been far more marshalls and press officers present at Cycle Friday events than people cycling to work for the first time.
4) http://london.gov.uk/view_press_release_a.jsp?releaseid=19796



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Tags croydon, greenparty

Letter on radioactive waste

11.02.10

Dear Editor,

The Conservative Council continues to adopt a strategy of denying everything and not letting the cat out the bag when it comes to the incinerator. In spite of this, it is reassuring that they recognise that radioactive waste has no place in a waste burner. Yet, it still doesn’t explain why “radioactive waste” appears with “hazardous waste” on the procurement contract issued by the London Borough of Croydon on behalf of the South London Waste Partnership (SLWP).

Equally, their response is somewhat different to their Liberal Democrat counterparts in Sutton, who are also part of the SLWP. At a recent meeting in Beddington Village, the Lib Dem cabinet member for the Environment was not as forthright with regard to radioactive waste not being part of the mix. When asked about the prospect of radioactive waste from decommissioned nuclear reactors being sent to this new South London site, he simply couldn’t say one way or the other.

One assumes that New Forest District Council also denied any possibility of radioactive waste from nuclear reactors ever ending up at their incinerator in Fawley. Nevertheless, contaminated lubricants and oils from the Sellafield Nuclear facility could now arrive in truckloads as early as the spring.

Influential nuclear lobbying firms, with strong connections with former Labour ministers, are pressing hard to lower the levels of safety for radioactive waste from power stations. For example, presently there are 80,000 tonnes of contaminated or irradiated graphite in the UK. Power and waste companies will instinctively look to dispose of this type of waste in the most profitable way possible, and burning this material is ‘win/win’ as far they are concerned.

What it all boils down to is this: can local people trust the authorities to take decisions that place the health of people before profits?

Yours sincerely

Shasha Khan

Croydon Green Party

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Candidates in 'anti gay' spat

Gordon Ross' report on the Croydon Area Gay Society hustings has caused a bit of a stir, at least with UKIP candidate Ralph Atkinson. A Croydon Advertiser reporter contacted us saying their paper had received a letter from Mr Atkinson. In the letter he stated that we (Croydon Green Party) were calling him "anti gay". As a result of the reporter's investigation, this piece appeared in the Croydon Advertiser. Gordon is absolutely right, we have nothing to apologise for.

A clarification: Bernice Golberg is the candidate for Croydon Central. Gordon is standing in Croydon South.

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Tags croydon, greenparty

Members coming, and the odd one going

Membership in terms of numbers for the Croydon Green Party has gone from strength to strength - we are now at record levels. That's why we were a little puzzled to hear that the Tories in Norbury had put out a leaflet noting a Green Party council candidate had defected. After a little investigating we found out the member who has jumped ship is the Crystal Palace based Karen Moran, and she is based in Bromley.....NOT CROYDON! Clearly the Conservatives in Croydon see us as a threat otherwise why put out such a leaflet??

Her reason for leaving the Green Party was:

"Frustration in Green Party being unable to afford to put out regular local leaflets."

Occasionally it may be difficult to fund campaigns in the Green Party because unlike other parties we don't accept donations from corporates. Not only that, the ethical and environmental background of all our donors is screened. This is why the Green Party is not in the pockets of big business. Given the Tories are bankrolled by the likes of Lord Ashcroft - he of non dom status for tax purposes - I guess Karen may now have a bit more money for campaigning in Crystal Palace. I wish her well.

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Tags croydon, greenparty