COUNCILS: International Mens Organisation

COUNCILS,TAXMEN, DWP, SOCIAL WORK, PARKING SCAMS AND BAILIFF'S

BUGATTI VEYRON GETS CLAMPED VIDEO

HOW TO BEAT A CLAMPER VIDEO

WOMEN CHASES CAR CLAMPER WITH BUCKET OF SHIT VIDEO

HOW TO DEAL WITH BAILIFF'S VIDEO

They called round at OAP mothers house wanting Ł300 for a Ł30 parking ticket the old lady didn't even know she had ! Thats why I gave them the reception they deserve ..Me and my mate show you the best way to deal with these Bailiffs(shitthouse bully boys) if the c*nts knock on your door !

HOW A CASH STRAPPED MASONIC RUN COUNCIL MARKS OUT ITS TERRITORY VIDEO

Cash-strapped council erects Ł100,000 golden masonic ‘monstrosity’ in nature reserve

BULLYING BAILIFFS SENT EVERY TWO MINUTES TO CHASE CONGESTION CHARGE FINES

HOW FREEMASONS EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT LONDON USE THEIR LACKEYS TO BULLY THEIR VICTIMS OUT OF MONEY FROM THEIR SCAMS

London transport bosses send out bailiffs every two minutes on average to collect money from drivers who have failed to pay the congestion charge.

Although the measure is intended to be a last resort, pressure groups condemned the sheer scale of visits, amid claims of harassment and intimidation. Transport for London, which manages the Ł10-a-day road fee, received 90 complaints about the four firms it used to track down motorists.

Nineteen were upheld. One plumber claimed he was "hounded" by a bailiff who tried to clamp his van in moving traffic. A Freedom of Information request by pressure group Big Brother Watch shows TfL used bailiffs 272,285 times last year - equivalent to once every 115 seconds on average. TfL said the figure did not reflect the number of drivers evading the charge, as several visits may be made to the same person. The fine for failing to pay the congestion charge is Ł120, which is halved if paid within two weeks. This increases to Ł180 if not paid within 28 days, after which a charge certificate is issued and TfL registers an unpaid debt with Northampton county court's bulk processing centre, costing it Ł7 a time - Ł1.9million last year. If the fine is still not paid, an order of recovery is served.

But campaigners say the size of the system means it is fallible and innocent drivers are victimised. Alex Henney, of London Motorists' Action Group, said: "In many cases, the first thing people know about an unpaid congestion charge is when the bailiffs visit. "Although they should advise you in writing before removing any property, they don't make anything on a Ł11.20 letter, so often they don't send it and then rack up their extra charges to Ł600 by seizing a car." Actress Linda Robson has criticised TfL for "harassing" her stepfather John Bull, who has cancer, over a fine he had already paid. Mr Bull, 78, has a disabled blue badge, which means he is exempt, but he failed to register with TfL in advance.

Bailiffs allegedly threatened to take the furniture from his Islington home to settle the Ł120 penalty. The firm, Equita, backed down when he threatened legal action. Nick Pickles, director of Big Brother Watch, said: "Urgent action is needed to end this bully-boy culture and recognise that over-eager use of bailiffs only further undermines trust."

Paul Cowperthwaite, TfL's head of contracted services, said: "Before a bailiff is instructed we will have sent three letters to the customer. TfL expects every bailiff working on its behalf to act correctly at all times."

He tried to clamp me in traffic

Plumber Stuart Robertson told how he was chased in his van by bailiffs after being "clocked" by their number plate-reading machine. The system was first operated by police to catch traffic offenders but is increasingly being used by bailiffs, using cameras inside vans. Mr Robertson was confronted over up to four charges he said he had forgotten to pay after straying into the congestion zone.

He said: "I was sitting at traffic lights in Manor House when the bailiff's van pulled in front of me. The man waved his badge at me and said 'I'm an officer of the court and I'm going to take your van'. He tried to snap a spring-loaded clamp on my wheel but I got away. Running after someone in moving traffic is very aggressive." TfL cancelled the charges after Mr Robertson complained. The bailiff worked for Marston Group, who said he is no longer employed by them.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Spy camera cars caught breaking own parking rules

LONDON COUNCIL SPY CARS SETTING UP MOTORISTS FOR FLEECING

THIS IS THE VILE STUFF COUNCILLORS ACROSS THE UK GET UP TO FLEECING THE PUBLIC. SOUTHWARK IS SIMILAR TO WESTMINSTER AS MAYBE ONE OF THE MOST RUTHLESS.

Campaigners are warning drivers not to park in a bay they claim is being staked out by CCTV "spy" cars.

A motorists' rights group claims poor signs and no road markings make the bay, outside Tesco Express in Southampton Way, Camberwell, a "golden goose" for Southwark council, which has generated about Ł190,000 in fines from it in a year.

One sign states 30-minute parking is allowed from 7am to 10am and from 1pm to 7pm, but a sign below it states the bay is for "goods vehicles loading only" from 10am to 1pm. Bruce Argue, a member of the NoToMob campaign group, said the council "should put some decent signs up and make them visible, so there would be no need for a little black car parked 50 yards up the street with a periscope."

The council denies its mobile CCTV cars lie in wait for drivers. Cabinet member for transport Barrie Hargrove said: "We don't want drivers to get fined unnecessarily and we urge them to read the signs carefully."

FULL ARTICLE HERE

ONE MILLION POUND COUNCIL PARKING SCAM EXPOSED (ANOTHER RACKET) VIDEO

BAILIFF SCUM FROM 2007 VIDEO

DWP DISGUISE EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE POWER TO REMOVE FINANCIAL HELP TO POOREST

THIS IS COMPLETELY ILLEGAL TO DISGUISE THE NAME OF A STATE LACKEY WITH POWERS OVER THE FINANCES OF A VULNERABLE INDIVIDUAL, AND THE SAME AS GIVING THE POLICE POWERS TO DISGUISE THE IDENTITY OF A COP

Some Job Centre Plus staff use false names on their ID badges to protect their identities, the Department for Work and Pensions has revealed.

The department said workers were allowed to use "office names" agreed with their managers. Officials said the option was open to "customer-facing staff where an individual's safety or wellbeing is demonstrably at risk". The revelation came in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Staff at the Pension Disability and Carers Service and those carrying out fraud investigations were also allowed to use pseudonyms, the DWP said. The department said its policy on false names was introduced in April 2002 after consultation with trade unions. It is not the only government department to keep the identity of its staff from the public in some cases.

A Home Office spokesman said: "In a small number of cases where there are particular security considerations, we may use a pseudonym when responding to correspondence." Last month, Prime Minister David Cameron announced Downing Street letters would no longer be signed with fake names. The policy was changed after Labour MP Sir Gerald Kaufman complained about receiving a letter from a "Mrs E Adams", only to be told it was a computer-generated pseudonym.

Number 10 officials began using false names in 2005 after a staff member was contacted and threatened by a member of the public.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

NATIONAL WEEK OF ACTION AGAINST ATOS STARTS MONDAY 9 MAY 2011

Disability activists, claimant groups and anti-cuts campaigners have called a week of action against poverty pimps Atos Origin beginning on Monday 9th May with a picnic and party in Triton Square*, home of their head office, at 2pm.

Both announced and unannounced protests are set to take place around the UK outside the offices and testing centres operated by Atos Origin. Atos Origin have just begun a Ł300 million contract by the Con-dem Government to carry out ‘work capability assessments’ on all of those claiming Incapacity Benefit.

It is claimed assessments are to test what people can do rather than what they can’t. The real purpose is to strip benefits from as many people as possible. This testing system has already led to people with terminal illnesses and severe medical conditions being declared fit for work and having benefits cut. GP’s are ignored in favour of decisions made by Atos Origin’s computer. Plans announced for the scrapping of Disability Living Allowance have also revealed that this intrusive testing is likely to be extended to everyone on some form of disability or health related benefit.

To date around 40% of appeals against Atos Origin’s decisions have been successful. On the 24th January and 14th April claimants from around the country demonstrated outside Atos Origins premises, with many choosing to close for the day rather than face their ‘clients’. We call on all groups around the UK to take action against these parasites who have been dubbed ‘the racial purity and euthanasia arm of the DWP’

FULL ARTICLE HERE

London – Hardest Hit March, Lobby and Protest, Wed 11 May

TORY TOFFS RUTHLESS BENEFIT MEDICAL SCANDAL AS TWO DIE BEFORE APPEALS

HER MAJESTY'S TAXMEN THREATEN THE ELDERLY WITH THUG BAILIFF'S VIDEO

HER MAJESTY'S MENACING TAXMEN VIDEO

DWP AND ATOS GUILTY OF CORPORATE MANSLAUGHTER

My late husband was 3 months from being eligible for pension credit.

He had depression for which he was certificated by his GP and a heart condition. He started claiming ESA in Feb 09.

During that period he was assessed by Atos who scored him at 0 points. He appealed and this was reviewed and upheld. He did not do the next appeal he died before then. I have the paperwork and reasons for decisions. He lived in the marital home, I was paying mortgage, insurances and utility bills by direct debit. the DWP continually did not pay him his ESA which impacted on council rates (which i was not paying) Worst of all he was hounded by DWP to go back to work, he had not worked for over 30 years as we had swapped roles, he therefore took the traditional now outdated womens role and stayed at home. This agreement worked quite well for us. We did not claim benefits as I paid for everything.

With just 3 months left, I kept explaining to him everything would be ok as soon as he was on pension credit as he would have to be treated the same as a women born on the same day. I tried as best I could from Australia, but he never told me how bad things really were DWP wrote to GP told him to stop issuing medical certificates my question is WHY! He would only need one more before reaching 60.

I believe a stay at home woman of the same age would have been treated differently, realising the short time involved, and the pension service itself says it treats men and women the same. Anyway despite having needing treatment for a earlier attempt in 2009 to kill himself, he was so worried and put through so much trouble that he did kill himself in early December. He was not a paperwork person as told to DWP, I don't think he stood a chance of understanding the rules

I believe they did not look at the whole picture, continually did not pay him, hounded him to start work ignored medical evidence, told him they were not paying him anymore, suspended his benefit, did not ask Atos for him to have an assessment for mental illness, there is more still. I believe DWP and Atos are guilty of corporate manslaughter.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Unaccountable Civil Servants

MAN JAILED FOR COUNCIL TAX EVASION MAY WIN Ł50K FROM EURO COURT

The Debtors Act 1869 abolished imprisonment for debt. So why are men being jailed by the judiciary for debts manufactured in secret family court hearings and by government agencies?

A MAN wrongly jailed for council tax evasion could pocket tens of thousands of pounds in compensation after taking his case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Stephen Wandless was jailed for 90 days three years ago for not paying more than Ł4,000 in council tax dating back to 1995. His conviction was quashed in 2009 by a High Court judge who said he had been jailed “unlawfully” because magistrates “failed to properly investigate the applicant’s means”. He also said the exact amount owed had not been investigated properly and magistrates did not look at “alternatives to imprisonment”.

His lawyers took his case to Europe as under UK law no action can be taken against a magistrate who acts in the course of his duty. It could mean the Government and the council that took the action having to pay up to Ł50,000 compensation under human rights laws. The case has prompted anger from UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage who said it should not be decided by “ranks of foreign judges”. He said: “This is something that should be dealt with by Westminster.

“The fault here lies solely at the door of the British justice system. Our Government needs to change the law, and it should not require the intervention of Europe. It highlights how our Government has under-trained and undermined the justices of the peace who are fundamental to our legal system.” In 1992 Mr Wandless, 44, was injured at work. After becoming depressed, he claimed industrial injuries disablement benefit. He applied for housing and council tax benefit thinking it covered liability for council tax. But in 2008 he received a summons for non-payment of Ł4,516.2 between 1995 and 2006.

Calderdale Council in West Yorkshire claimed he had deliberately refused to pay. He offered Ł10 a month towards arrears but was given the maximum 90 days in jail. He spent 34 days in Leeds Prison before being released in January 2009. His lawyers claim that in jailing him magistrates breached his human rights and argue he should be entitled to compensation.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

DVLA AID AND ABET PARKING THUGS AND THEIR EXTORTION RACKETS VIDEO

Yellow box junction rakes in Ł1 million in traffic fines

UK JOBCENTRES TRICKING VICTIMS OUT OF BENEFITS TO CUT COSTS SAYS WHISTLEBLOWER

Soaring number of sanctions against unemployed amid claims that DWP staff are being told to trip people up with paperwork

Rising numbers of vulnerable jobseekers are being tricked into losing benefits amid growing pressure to meet welfare targets, a Jobcentre Plus adviser has told the Guardian. A whistleblower said staff at his jobcentre were given targets of three people a week to refer for sanctions, where benefits are removed for up to six months. He said it was part of a "culture change" since last summer that had led to competition between advisers, teams and regional offices. "Suddenly you're not helping somebody into sustainable employment, which is what you're employed to do," he said. "You're looking for ways to trick your customers into 'not looking for work'. You come up with many ways. I've seen dyslexic customers given written job searches, and when they don't produce them – what a surprise – they're sanctioned. The only target that anyone seems to care about is stopping people's money.

"'Saving the public purse' is the catchphrase that is used in our office … It is drummed home all the time – you're saving the public purse. Feel good about stopping someone's money, you've just saved your own pocket. Its a joke." The claims came as the big businesses handed contracts to get the long term jobless into worktoday said the government should privatise jobcentres so that their firms could work with people who have been jobless for less than a year. Statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show the total number of cases where people have lost their benefits has soared since the beginning of 2010 to 75,000 in October, the latest month available. The figures also reveal the number of claimants with registered disabilities being cut off has more than doubled to almost 20,000 over the same period.

This follows a change in the rules in April last year where sanctions were extended to claimants who were late for jobcentre interviews and other less serious offences. When a claimant is sanctioned their jobseeker's allowance is stopped. They then have to apply for hardship payments, which are usually about half the allowance, or just over Ł30 a week. John, in Wigan, has been sanctioned for six months and says he has to rely on food parcels and must sleep on his friend's couch. "It's left me in a state of depression. I've lost weight, I'm tired … I feel like I've been attacked for no reason." The whistleblower blamed the targets. "We were told suddenly that [finding someone to sanction] once a week wasn't good enough, we were far behind other offices, and we went to a meeting where they compared us with other offices, and said we now have to do three a week to catch up. Most staff go into work and they're thinking about it from moment one – who am I going to stop this week?"

The DWP denies there are specific targets, but the Guardian has seen email evidence of referral targets in one office, and the issue of targets has been raised by employees on online forums. The DWP said: "To say that we are targeting vulnerable people is ridiculous. We only sanction people if they do not adhere to their agreement. We are massively expanding the help and support that jobseekers will receive to ensure that they get the right help and support to get into work. If someone is incapable of work, they will continue to receive unconditional support." But the whistleblower said the policy hit the vulnerable instead of hardcore benefit cheats, who he said were a small group. "The young often fall into it, because they haven't been there long enough, they are generally a major target. The uneducated are another major target. I've seen people with … seriously low educational standards and it's easy to exploit them."

He said staff had different ways to ensure they could stop benefits for a set amount of people. "So, for example, if you want someone to diversify – they're an electrician or a plumber, they may not want to go into call centres or something. What you do is keep promoting such and such a job, and you pressure them into taking it off you, the piece of paper. Then in two weeks you look at the system, you ask them if they applied for it … they say no – you stop their money for six months. "You very rarely see the hardcore taken because they know the forms – they know it better than the staff, the system." Shirley Cramer of the charity Dyslexia Action warned that the true impact on people with learning difficulties was likely to be higher because in many cases it was a hidden disability. "Because we know there are large numbers of them, and that they are hidden, and that they are over-represented in disadvantaged groups, they are very much at risk. And we know that with a bit of help they can be terrific employees."

Martin John, national officer for the Public and Commercial Services Union, said ministers had demanded a tougher approach since the general election. "We are against the use of targets for labour market sanctions, and are worried about the financial impact on people." Citizens Advice has reported a significant rise in clients who have had their benefits cut. Andy Robertson, a caseworker in South Tyneside, an area with 13% unemployment, has a huge pile of paperwork for appeals, and says his casework has more than doubled in the last year. "What's happening at the moment is possibly the worst thing I've ever seen with regard to practice from the DWP. Clients seem to be getting sanctioned for next to nothing," he said. Robertson worked for eight years as an adviser and financial assessor at jobcentres. He has also seen the changes affect many vulnerable clients, such as those with dyslexia or mental health problems. "Advisers were previously exercising their discretion … now the client-adviser balance doesn't seem to exist any more."

Yvonne Fovargue, the Labour MP for Makerfield, raised the issue of sanctioning in parliament during a reading of the new Welfare Reform Act. She is worried that at a time when funding to support groups such as Citizens Advice is being cut, an even stricter regime is being introduced. Fovargue said the situation would only get worse with the drive to bring people off incapacity benefit and on to the jobseeker's allowance, where they are suddenly exposed to these sanctions. The whistleblower also thinks there will be an impact. "A lot of them haven't been in work for a number of years. So I'm not expecting them to understand the system … which will make for easy sanctions.

"This cannot be right that we are using a department that's supposed to help people into work to stop them getting benefit that a lot of them are entitled to." In Wigan, John said he first found out he had been sanctioned when the money did not appear in his account on the usual day. His jobcentre told him it was because he had missed the deadline for three jobs. He said his Jobcentre adviser said he would send application forms in the post, but they arrived too late. "It's outrageous … to leave someone with no money for six months. It's totally hindered my jobsearching, I spend all of my time dealing with these problems now."

The whistleblower says his office has been told there is no more money for back to work training from April. "From April, we offer no provision … nothing, no training course, nothing. The funding ends at the end of March. "[Now] your office can shine through one of two targets. You can either shine through getting people into work, but that's really difficult. Or you can stop their money, and that's really easy."

FULL ARTICLE HERE

THE GREAT PARKING SCAM RIP OFF VIDEO

BULLY BOY COUNCIL PARKING THUGS AND THEIR BAILIFFS EXPOSED

WE HAVE BEEN STATING FOR A VERY LONG TIME PARKING FINES ARE THE MOST LUCRATIVE ARM OF THE MASONIC COUNCIL THUGS WHO WRITE THEIR OWN PAY CHEQUES USING THE PROCEEDS FROM THEIR CRIMINAL SCAMS

Town halls are setting bailiffs on to nearly 500,000 drivers every year over parking fine disputes. Local councils are involved in more than a third of the 17million cases handled by the Ł3billion-a-year debt recovery industry. The employment of bailiff firms over minor parking infringements mean drivers risk having their cars impounded over trivial and often disputed sums.

Recently one firm tried to seize a pensioner’s mobility scooter when she failed to pay a parking fine as she was in hospital. In another case a woman’s car was impounded and sold after she refused to pay a fine for overstaying in a council car park by three minutes. In the three financial years from April 2007 to March 2010, town halls called in bailiffs to collect parking fines on 1,411,086 occasions.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

WESTMINSTER COUNCIL PAYS Ł600,000 AFTER PARKING CONTRACT U-TURN

For anyone who does NOT believe councils biggest scams are parking tickets here is how masonic run councils are ripping of victims with parking scams that are not even legal. They are using dodgy contracts to hand large sums to masonic run companies who aid and abet the fleecing of the unsuspecting public that parking scams are an enormous racket for the criminals running bully boy extortion scams.

A Tory council has been forced to pay Ł600,000 compensation to a firm it axed as its parking contractor after only a few days.

Westminster had to fork out to stave off a costly court action after it awarded a Ł46 million contract to Mouchel and then swiftly scrapped it. The fall-out happened after Westminster realised it had failed to follow its own rules when awarding the UK's biggest parking contract to Mouchel last March. It restarted the process and then decided to reappoint incumbent firm NSL, at a cost of Ł37.3 million over four years - Ł9 million less than Mouchel. Critics said the council had been forced to cut hundreds of jobs after failing to safeguard its "golden egg" parking income, which dropped by almost half over three years to Ł30 million.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

WESTMINSTER COUNCIL STAFF THREATEN HOSTER OF 'PROTEST' WEBSITE

The first we knew was when we received the following email last Thursday from our web-hosting company saying that they had been contacted by WCC who were accusing them as being a "secondary" publisher of defamatory remarks by hosting our website, and therefore they had no option other than to pull their server.

Knowing that WCC had made no mention of suing us, I immediately emailed Chief Exec Mike More highlighting the email we had received and demanded an explanation. However, whilst awaiting his response, we had to act quickly as we were "off-air", and that's when our IT crew stepped up to the plate and with almost military precision had located a more-than-willing new supplier; downloaded everything from the old; uploaded to the new; run all the necessary checks; and within 2 days we were back, stronger than ever. Knowing we were secure, I could concentrate on ascertaining what ahd actually happened. Turns out that HWS Hosting sub-let from another company referred to as an "upstream" provider, and that had received a phone call (which is very unusual as normally complaint emails would simply be forwarded!) telling them that WCC's head of legal would be contacting them. Sure enough, when the email arrived from PLarge@westminster.gov.uk, and was started with

"My name is Peter Large. I am employed as Head of Legal and Democratic Services by Westminster City Council",

the illusion was already in place, and, despite PLiarge then claiming to be writing in a "personal capacity", they were already fooled into thinking the Head of Legal from WCC, and thus WCC, were issuing proceedings.

As the owner was to observe in an email to me, "If he is so confident he can win a case personally then why not use a personal email address, and why go into such great detail about the Council and go out of his way to mention them? As I’ve said previously, it is misleading and – as we’ve seen – makes me and my company look like the bad guys". Hence it must be assumed that PLiarge was deliberately, pre-meditatedly & maliciously using his WCC email address, and his unmerited title to add gravitas and undue influence to what would have been an easily dismissed gripe. You can read his actual email (here)

, and note how all his supposed "facts" are actually only his "opinion". Note the oh-so-typically-PLiarge phrase:"I attach a link to an article which summarises the law in this area, in my view accurately.", with emphasis of his get-out clause of "in my view" should it be challenged later. But the best was yet to come in the response from Mike More. First, my aforementioned email to him (as it explains alot):-

"Dear Mr More,

I have been forwarded copy of this communication sent to my IT contractor which has resulted in our campaign website being removed, for which I demand an immediate explanation prior to handing the matter to our solicitors to take appropriate action

"Your VPS has been suspended due to contact we have received from Westminster Council. The content on the website ‘notobikeparkingtax.com ’ violates our Terms of Service and our Acceptable Usage Policy; as we have received a complaint and a letter of intent to take yourself and members of the website to court, naming HWS Hosting in the case and leaving us liable for expenses and damages, we have been left with no option but to suspend the VPS hosting this website."

Contrary to the allegation therein, I have received absolutely no letter of intent whatsoever from Westminster City Council suggesting an action being brought against me or other members of my website. Can you categorically explain how this company has been clearly led to believe the same, and, if it should transpire that WCC are not taking the action described, issue an immediate apology to the campaign and a fully particularised letter of explanation to HWS Hosting (the proprietor's email address is xxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx)

I have to inform you that HWS Hosting also suspended a series of other sites maintained by our IT contractor causing severe damage to their credibility with their other customers. Should it transpire that the action in question is related to that proposed by your employee, Mr Peter Large, who has formally acknowledged that the same would be a private action "at his own expense", the use of his WCC email address as a deliberate attempt to mislead others into thinking that WCC were planning the same must constitute a flagrant abuse of his position and I would demand an explanation as to why he is not immediately suspended, should that prove to be your decision following your investigations. Due to seriousness of this matter, nothing more than an immediate reply would be deemed adequate."

...and his incredulous response...

"Dear Mr Djanogly

Thank you for your email.
The City Council has not taken this action and my enquiries of Mr Large since, and my examination of his email, have informed me, first, that the communication is explicitly stated to be on a personal, not an organisational behalf; and second, that his use of WCC email facilities is quite within our “reasonable private use” policies. I should also point out that the City Council could decide to take action in defence of our employees."

... to which the following just had to be asked, and is as yet unanswered:-

"Mr More,

Thank you for prompt response.

To help me & all copied herein fully understand, could you please, as a matter of urgency, forward copy of WCC's "reasonable private use" policies, together with an indication where it would appear in the WCC Employee Handbook or contract of employment.

As you know, we have numerous WCC employees supporting our campaign, as well as many from other local authorities, none of which appear to have any knowledge of these policies."

Suffice to say, a Press release had to prepared and despatched, and I think it sums up the whole episode rather well:-

Council Boss condones illicit use of council resources then threatens campaigners with legal action for highlighting it Campaigners who complained about having their website suspended as a direct result of a rogue Westminster Council employee using his council email address when airing his own personal grievances that fooled a hosting company into believing that WCC, the richest Council in Europe would be suing them, not only had their complaint dismissed by council Chief Executive Mike More, but found themselves being threatened with legal action for making it. The web company was duped when WCC Head of Legal, Peter Large wrote using his council web address naming them in a planned legal action.

The company suspended the hosting service for the campaign's website stating:- "Your VPS has been suspended due to contact we have received from Westminster Council.”, and that “we have received a complaint and a letter of intent to take yourself and members of the website to court, naming HWS Hosting in the case”, before later adding weight to the campaigners' complaint by writing to WCC confirming they had been fooled: “To clarify, the letter was indeed from Mr Peter Large, and was indeed from his ‘official’ email address with WCC.” In an unprecedented attack, Mike More not only condoned his employee’s actions, shocking other council employees by claiming it to be “within our “reasonable private use” policies”, before adding “I should also point out that the City Council could decide to take action in defence of our employees.”

Gerard Livett, a firm supporter of the campaign was quick to inform:- "I work for a local authority (not Westminster) and if I were to use my work email address for a private lawsuit I would almost certainly fall foul of our "acceptable" use policy". This was later supported by an HWS Hosting chief who noted: "I work closely with Hull City Council, and from personal experience their employees usually use either a personal email address or personal social media account when talking about any matter outside of the council"

"DESPERATE ACT OF A DESPERATE MAN"

Assessing Mr Large's action as "a desperate act of a desperate man", Campaign Chairman Warren Djanogly observed: "With it reasonable to assume that the exorbitant cost of a defamation claim against one person would normally render it outside the financial ability of a salaried local authority officer, the knowledge of being the sixth that Mr Large was planning personally to sue would have undoubtedly led our hosting company to agree with us as to the hollowness of the threat. Their actions can only be seen as being consistent with being duped into thinking that Westminster Council was to be the claimant." Commenting further on the motive, Djanogly explained: "We have had numerous occasions to question the suitability of Mr Large to hold a position of public trust, especially on discovering that WCC had expended Ł300 of taxpayers money for legal advice on basic contract novation that the Ł120,000 per year Mr Large was clearly unqualified to give.”

There then followed a catalogue of blunders by Mr Large’s department that recently caused a bungled parking enforcement contract award having to be re-tendered at an estimated cost to the residents of Ł1m (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-business/article-23833927-revealed-fiasco-of-westminsters-parking-contract.do) , and also saw the EU Commissioners threatening the UK authorities with legal action as a direct result of procurement law infringements by WCC over its Pay-by-Phone contract award to Verrus UK Ltd (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk- england-london-11833904) However, it was Mr Large's assertion to a Board of Partnering councils known as Partnerships-In-Parking (PIP) that the EU Commissioners' assessment of a procurement law infringement was "spin" and that, since they closed the case (albeit following assurances from the UK authorities that WCC would cease the infringements), it could now never be said that WCC had in fact infringed any EU law that proved the final straw for campaigners.

Djanogly added "The fact that Mr Large issued these threats so soon after we announced our consulting with lawyers with the view to taking a private prosecution against him for Misconduct in Public Office for bringing his office into such disrepute can be no coincidence. Similarly, the timing of it just weeks before our Court of Appeal against WCC after permission was granted by Lord Justice Jackson on a staggering six out of seven challenges of the original High Court ruling comes as no surprise. What was a genuine surprise was the disgraceful, and utterly irresponsible reply from council boss Mike More. To condone the illicit use of taxpayer-funded council resources is bad enough. To then threaten legal action against those bringing it to your attention is totally unacceptable and surely now must have rendered his position as equally untenable as Mr Large's." A Freedom of Information request for copy of WCC's "reasonable private use" policies, as referred to by Mike More, together with an indication where it would appear in the WCC Employee Handbook or Contract of Employment is awaiting reply.

PROTECTING THE WCC INNER SANCTUM

Campaigners claim that Mike More is no stranger to controversy when it comes to protecting the WCC hierarchy. They point to allegations of Benefit Fraud made against Council Leader, and self-proclaimed multi-millionaire, Colin Barrow with whom More had worked at Suffolk County Council. The allegations followed the smuggling out, by a WCC Whistleblower, of a letter from Benefits Manager June Simson to multi-millionaire Councillor Barrow suggesting that the latter’s existing claim was already Ł16,000 over the maximum allowed of Ł35,000 and that Barrow was now claiming a further 10% (see attached).

And the reaction by Chief Executive Mike More? Ignore the allegation against his mate Barrow, and to instigate an immediate witch-hunt to unmask the whistleblower! And the reaction of the Monitoring Officer who is tasked to report such Councillor abuse to the Standards Board of England? To ignore the allegations. And the name of that Monitoring Officer? A certain…Peter Large!

NO TO BIKE PARKING TAX

WHO'S CHEATING WHO? ESA AND ATOS HEALTHCARE VIDEO

THUG SECURITY AT STADIUM GET A TASTE OF THEIR OWN MEDICINE VIDEO

WESTMINSTER MASONIC COUNCIL'S DODGY PARKING SCAMS BREACHES EU LAW

A council has been censured by the European Commission for infringing contract laws - and criticised for earlier claiming in a press release it had been "cleared of any wrong-doing".

Westminster Council was the subject of an EU investigation after setting up Partners in Parking (PiP), which allowed local authorities to join forces to purchase cheap parking services. Transport for London and six local authorities in the city joined when it first started, hoping for a better deal from private parking enforcement firms.

Canadian company Verrus was awarded the contract to provide pay-and-display services, pay-by-phone, parking tickets and debt collection to the members. Additional local authorities were then persuaded by Westminster City Council to join PiP but these contracts under European Union rules should have gone back out to tender rather than being passed automatically to Verrus. This move prompted an investigation by the European Union after an un-named parking company complained about the process and the failure to put subsequent contracts out to tender. But on 8 November Westminster Council released a statement saying an investigation by the European Commission into its parking contract "has cleared the authority of any wrongdoing".

Councillor Lee Rowley, Westminster's parking boss, said at the time: "We always maintained this contract was properly awarded following a tender process carried out in accordance with the law and we are obviously pleased that the EU has decided to close this case." But BBC London has obtained documents showing the Commission found against Westminster Council and that it was ordered to make changes.

In an written statement it said: "The Commission considered that Westminster City Council has infringed EU law.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

RIOT BREAKS OUT AT LONDON COUNCIL MEETING OVER CUTS VIDEO

WESTMINSTER COUNCIL SPENDS Ł2m ON NEW TRAFFIC SCAMMERS WHILE AXING 530 JOBS

One of Britain’s largest councils is to spend nearly Ł2million to increase its squad of traffic wardens – while axeing more than 500 jobs.

Westminster Council in Central London is boosting its number of parking attendants by more than 25 per cent. Council documents show that it is recruiting an extra 50 wardens to cover off-peak times and night times, at a cost of Ł1.95million. The council already raises more than Ł40million annually from parking fines but wants to boost this by patrolling 24 hours a day and at traditionally quieter times such as bank holidays.

It is also spending a further Ł825,000 on software to make it easier to process camera-generated fines. Westminster Council currently employs 170 parking wardens who have a fearsome reputation among motorists for enforcing parking restrictions. Last year alone it issued 686,310 parking fines, which at an average of Ł60 each means an income of Ł41.2million. But at the same time as it boosts its number of wardens, the council is undergoing a massive shake-up, with hundreds of jobs lost or about to go.

SOURCE

DRIVERS BEWARE, TRAFFIC WARDENS ARE NOW UNDERCOVER SPIES

MASONIC COUNCILLORS ARE BEHIND THE MASSIVE RISE IN THE USE OF PARKING OFFENCES TO INCREASE THEIR EARNING POWER USING DODGY SPYING AND PARKING SCAMS. THEY HAVE BEEN WRITING THEIR OWN HUGE SALARIES FOR TO LONG ON THE BACK OF SCAMS THAT USE DRIVERS AS A CASH COW. A PORTION OF THEIR OUTRAGEOUS SALARIES END UP IN THE MASONIC COFFERS.VICTIMS ARE BEING HARASSED BY THUG BAILIFFS USED TO BREAK INTO HOMES AND STEAL THEIR VICTIMS ASSETS. IN SOME CASES THEY HAVE BEEN THREATENED WITH BANKRUPTCY AND THE THEFT OF THEIR HOMES. THE ULTIMATE GOAL FOR THE MASONIC THUGS BEHIND THE CORRUPTION AND FRAUD.

It took Derek Anderson only 60 seconds to walk to a parking ticket machine - but in that time undercover officials had already given him a fine. As the electrician, 54, headed to pay his fee, two council staff leapt out Sweeney-style from their unmarked patrol car. Mr Anderson fought the Ł60 charge imposed by the South London borough of Merton and it has now been ruled unfair by a traffic adjudicator. But the council admitted using civil enforcement officers in unmarked cars to catch drivers is spreading to other local authorities. By law, the parking officials who struck at 8.11am should have worn 'readily distinguishable' uniforms to show who they were and what they were doing. They were also supposed to use a car only to get to their beats. Their behaviour was condemned as ' underhand' by adjudicator Joanne Oxlade, of the Parking and Traffic Appeals Service. She said Mr Anderson had committed no offence.

He had told her he was targeted by two men who had been waiting in an 'old banger'. One looked at his car, then the other appeared to hand out the ticket. Daniel Hamilton, of Big Brother Watch, said: 'Some of these people think they are James Bond. You can't have undercover hit squads going round spying on people parking.' But Chris Lee, Merton's director of environment, said the council could appeal.

SOURCE

UK GOVERNMENT MEDICAL TESTS ARE A FARCE

A ROSE-TINTED PANORAMA OF SOCIAL WORK STALKERS

Too much was left unsaid when the BBC sent its cameras to Coventry.

Last Tuesday's BBC Panorama was in effect an hour-long commercial for the social workers of Coventry. For six months its cameras followed three of their "case histories", showing what a fine job they do against the odds.

The most haunting story was that of Conner, a 14-year-old boy who has been in care most of his life. Now stuck in a council care home that costs Ł3,721 a week for each child, Conner was only allowed heavily supervised contact with his family every six weeks, as a punishment for the fact that his mother ran away with him when he was eight – amid considerable publicity – to escape the clutches of social workers. The BBC wanted us to see what a challenge Conner presents to them, as he swore at the young man in charge of his case and ended up kicking and beating his car.

But many viewers might have seen this story in a rather different light. The more we saw of Conner, the more he came across as a sensitive, intelligent boy whose only continual cry is that he might be released from what he sees as an inhuman imprisonment and allowed to live again with his family. In the presence of his insufferably self-righteous 21-year-old social worker – 21, for heaven's sake! – he may have been surly and resentful. But enjoying a brief supervised contact with his family, happily playing with his three-year-old sister, he came across as a different boy, gentle, polite and alive. When he was finally provoked into lashing out at the social worker's car, it was the only way he could respond to the system that has him ruthlessly in its power.

What was disturbing about the BBC's attempt to portray Coventry's social workers in such glowing light was not just what it did tell us, but what it didn't show. Coventry council has also been in the news lately because a judge allowed it to be named – ironically, at the instigation of the local BBC radio station – after it had, for once, failed in an attempt to seize three children from their parents, at a cost to public funds of Ł400,000. Coventry withdrew its case when the medical report by a paediatrician, on which the social workers had relied for their evidence, was shown to have been hopelessly flawed, prompting the judge to make withering comments on the "expert's" performance. It is this same judge who is in charge of a most alarming case that I have been reporting here in recent months, involving Coventry's forcible seizure of a baby from its family, after a legal battle that has also cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds. And the council has depended, in its campaign to seize this baby, on the same controversial paediatrician about whom the judge was so excoriatory in the earlier case.

Despite the anguish being caused, the next hearing in this case – which I hope one day to be able to report properly, because it says so much about the workings of our "child protection" system – will not be until April, another six months away. The most terrifying feature of this system is how much of it remains hidden – except when Panorama is allowed to give us a one-sided glimpse of a tiny part of it, entirely on the social workers' own terms.

SOURCE

WEALTHY UK TAXPAYERS GET LETTERS FROM TAXMAN OVER LARGE SCALE TAX EVASION

HMRC letters target taxpayers with Swiss bank accounts
A clampdown on offshore tax havens was ordered by the G20 last year

Hundreds of wealthy UK taxpayers have been sent letters by HM Revenue & Customs over possible large-scale tax evasion, the BBC has learned. It is understood HMRC has acquired a list of high net-worth individuals with accounts at the Swiss division of HSBC. The list was stolen by an employee and passed to the taxman by the French authorities. The bank is not accused of any wrongdoing.

The campaign comes after the government announced a crackdown on tax avoidance. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander told the Liberal Democrat conference in Liverpool it was hoped closing loopholes and ensuring wealthy people pay the full top rate of tax would generate an estimated Ł7bn a year by 2015 in additional income tax revenue.

Secrecy laws

Tax evasion and avoidance cost the Treasury an estimated Ł14bn a year and successive governments have vowed to take action against it. The letters sent out by the HMRC are known as Code of Practice 9 and advise the recipients that they are suspected of committing illegal tax evasion which may lead to a criminal conviction. HMRC hasn't been able to stay out of the headlines of late. September started with the embarrassing revelation it had miscalculated the tax affairs of nearly six million people, 1.4m of whom would face additional tax.

Now a week after its political boss, Treasury secretary Danny Alexander, said there would be a clampdown on evasion, hundreds of "high net worth" individuals have been sent the kind of letter which could see some of them end up in jail. This may prove to be a rich seam of income for the taxman as no-one is likely - in public at any rate - to support people who have broken the law in an attempt to minimise their tax bill. But it may encourage some of the super-rich to take their entire tax affairs offshore, denying the UK billions in revenue at a time when it is needed most.

A HMRC spokesman said: "The days of hiding money offshore to evade tax are now over." Due to its secrecy laws, Switzerland has long attracted the very wealthy as a place to save their money. This is changing in light of a worldwide clampdown on "offshore" tax havens ordered by the G20 last year.

It also follows similar efforts by Germany in 2008 against wealthy residents suspected of using banks in neighbouring Liechtenstein, another tax haven. Germany's finance ministry paid an informant a reported 5 million euros (Ł4.2m) for a stolen computer disc containing the names of hundreds of clients at a wealth management firm. In the HMRC case, a former staff member at HSBC's Swiss division stole highly sensitive data belonging to 15,000 high net-worth account holders earlier this year and fled to France.

The list was passed to the French authorities, who in turn handed the relevant details to HMRC. HSBC fired the employee and the Swiss authorities are pursuing criminal action against him but cannot extradite him from France for legal reasons. No more than 10% of the list of suspected tax evaders pertained to any one country. HSBC said it had no comment to make on the matter.

SOURCE

NOW TAXMAN WANTS TO TAKE YOUR MONEY BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN BANK IT

HM Revenue & Customs risked fresh public anger today with a “radical” plan to deduct tax directly from workers' pay packets.

Business leaders and MPs warned of further problems for the taxman after it emerged that it wanted to cut out employers from the tax system and use a centralised computer to award wages. The HMRC, which has been heavily criticised for its handling of the tax “clawback” fiasco, has produced a discussion paper proposing that tax collection should take place centrally. Michael Fallon, a senior member of the Treasury Select Committee, joined the CBI and Institute of Directors in warning against the plans.

Under the proposals, employers would no longer be responsible for deducting tax from workers and instead would give information on gross salary to the HMRC. The Treasury agency, which admits the plan is a “radical option”, would then deduct income tax and national insurance directly before the money was paid into worker's bank accounts. But the HMRC is already under fire for its demands for billions of pounds of underpaid tax and experts are wary of another computer-related scandal.

About 1.4 million people are to be told that they owe the Inland Revenue a total of Ł2 billion in underpaid tax because of a calculation error. In addition, many of those affected will have to pay interest on monies owed, even though the error is no fault of their own. Mr Fallon told the Standard: “The HMRC have got to re-establish trust and confidence among taxpayers in the present system before they could even think about this kind of move to centralisation.”

The CBI said it was “extremely sceptical” about the practicality of the idea. Richard Bacon, head of taxation at the IoD, said: “This suggestion that gross pay might flow into a central computer, which would then pass net pay on to employees, is completely unacceptable. Sooner or later, the system would break down and some people would not get paid.”

Accountants also called the idea a “frightening prospect”. Clive Gawthorpe, partner at UHY Hacker Young, said: “Even if we had a tax authority that had proved it could work efficiently, there's only an outside chance that this would work.” A Government spokesman said: “The discussion document is designed to debate as many ideas as possible.”

SOURCE

UK'S PRIVATE FOSTERING CHILD ABUSE NETWORK VIDEO

FULL SCREEN VERSION HERE

HMRC COULD TAKE DIRECT CONTROL OF PAY CHEQUES

HM Revenue and Customs could take direct control of every worker’s monthly pay cheque under plans to overhaul the error-prone income tax system.

Instead of employers deducting income tax then paying gross salaries to employees, the gross monthly payment would go to an HMRC-run tax “calculator”, which would then pass the net salary to the worker. The reform would mean the end of traditional monthly payslips, because employers would no longer be able to tell workers how much tax they had paid each month. The tax authorities are consulting accountants, lawyers and businesses on the plans to reform the pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) system.

The potential shake-up has emerged after HMRC confirmed that inaccurate data means millions of people will be made to pay back underpaid tax, and millions more will get rebates. PAYE is based on tax codes that estimate each taxpayer’s annual income, but accountants say the system is increasingly failing to reflect the reality of modern work, where people frequently change jobs and benefits. In the two years from 2008-10, almost six million people paid the wrong amount of income tax, leaving some facing demands for repayment and others qualifying for rebates.

HMRC also has more than 18 million open cases relating to wrongly paid tax predating 2008. Under the current PAYE system, employers calculate a worker’s tax liability and deduct the appropriate share before paying the rest to the employee. Employees then give HMRC an annual summary of each worker’s pay and tax, which the tax authorities then assess to see if more or less tax is owed.

To make PAYE more accurate, Treasury ministers have suggested that employers should provide HMRC with monthly updates on workers’ salary payments and other financial details. Such “real time information” could then be used as the basis of a new “centralised deductions” system that would give HMRC an unprecedented role in workers’ monthly salary payments. Under the centralised deductions system, employers would pay workers’ monthly salary into a central calculator run by HMRC.

There, income tax deductions would be made automatically and the net salary then passed on to the worker by HMRC. Instead of a payslip detailing pay and deductions, workers would only find out how much income tax they had paid by asking HMRC. Brian Stenhouse of Armstrong Watson, which runs payroll services for more than 2,000 companies, said people should have “deep concerns” about the central deductions plan.

He said: “Are people going to be happy to give HMRC their bank details and trust HMRC to make the right deductions and pass on their salary every month? “Given they’re not going to have a complete monthly payslip any more, people are going to be in dark about what’s been deducted. And if there is an error, they’d be reliant on HMRC to correct it.” Ministers have asked tax experts to give their responses on the proposed new system later this month.

Treasury sources said ministers had made no decision on overhauling PAYE, but insisted the Coalition is determined to make the system more accurate. A source said: “Labour left the tax system in a mess and we are determined to clean it up.”

SOURCE

BRITISH TAXMAN'S DUBIOUS TAX ERRORS VIDEO

FULL SCREEN VERSION HERE

British taxman worse than the Taliban

Trust in PAYE has been seriously damaged

DEBT COLLECTORS' MIND GAMES BLASTED

THUG DEBT COLLECTORS AIDED AND ABETTED BY THUG MASONIC COPS

Mind games used by aggressive debt collectors can cause suicidal feelings and have a "devastating" effect on mental health, a charity has warned.

Reports of bailiffs forcing their way into homes and intimidating children have raised serious concerns among campaigners. They are now calling on the Government to step up public protection and introduce more robust regulation of the industry. A study by mental health charity Mind found 80% of those visited by enforcement agents had experienced threatening behaviour.

According to the survey, 50% of people who received an unwelcome knock on the door said it left them feeling suicidal. Meanwhile 96% reported increased levels of anxiety and 87% reported increased depression. The poll, of 453 adults, found one in 10 was being pursued for debts of under Ł100 while 70% were charged excessive fees. Sian Meredith, who bought a new house and was then chased for the previous owner's unpaid parking fines, said she was called a liar when she tried to reason with bailiffs. The 50-year-old accountant told The Times: "It's so scary - they threaten to burgle your house, to clamp your car, and it is horrible knowing they could just turn up at any time. "They rely on bullying, intimidation and people not understanding the law... I received a demand for final payment within 48 hours, sent second-class, so I didn't even receive it in time."

SOURCE

RACIST TAXMEN IN NORTHERN IRELAND UNDER-PAID CHILD BENEFIT TO NON-NATIONALS

Seven Revenue and Customs staff have been sacked for racially abusing non-nationals by paying them less child benefit than they were entitled to, it was revealed today.

Two others quit when an investigation was launched earlier this year. All nine were based at the HM Revenue and Customs contact centre in Belfast. It is understood they tampered with computer records so that claimants from ethnic minority backgrounds living in various parts of the UK were paid less than they were entitled to. All have now been fully reimbursed.

The resignations and sackings of the nine men followed an internal investigation into allegations of racially-motivated conduct going back to the second half of last year. Dave Hartnett, permanent secretary for tax at HM Revenue and Customs, said the department operates a zero-tolerance policy on racial discrimination. He added: 'The vast majority of our people are entirely professional and one of the ways we support that professionalism is by taking decisive action against the tiny minority who let us all down by falling far short of those standards.'

The HMRC contact centre is based at Dorchester House, close to the city centre in Belfast's Great Victoria Street. The investigation started in January when a complaint was lodged by somebody who claimed their records had been changed. A detailed audit was carried out and the inquiry then widened to take in another 16 cases. It is understood the nine men were suspended once the investigation started, but two quit immediately.

SOURCE

QATARI ROYALS LUXURY CARS GET CLAMPED IN LONDON VIDEO

FULL SCREEN VERSION HERE

PAY BY PHONE PARKING CHARGES ANOTHER MASSIVE NWO SCAM

'NO TO WESTMINSTER COUNCIL PARKING CHARGES ' EXPOSURES

Cracks appearing in the veneer?
In exposing the Mafia-esque leadership styles of Robert Davis and that most-admirable, and pillar of the community, WCC Council Leader Colin Barrow, new revelations have come to light regarding the latter. As previously mentioned, the erstwhile Colin, whilst implementing a cull of WCC staff, had no qualms in bankrupting one of his own companies, Eiger Capital owing WCC Ł19,000 in unpaid business rates.

It now transpires that multi-millionaire Colin has been demanding and receiving by all accounts Ł57,000 to home school his autistic son, whilst the WCC maximum for any resident is Ł35,000. While any parent wants the best for their child, there are a number of people out there with a genuine need for financial assistance who are struggling to get allowances from the Council’s limited purse. Colin however would seem to have no qualms in tapping Council funds for Ł22,000 over the maximum rather than dipping into his personal wealth. "Isn't that benefit-fraud & stealing from the public purse?" you ask.

Can't be! - why? - Because WCC Director of Customer Services, Dr Leith Penny stated to the press that WCC would "not hesitate to prosecute" anyone "stealing from the public purse" (whilst referring to supposed vandalism of road-signs). No sign of Colin being prosecuted from what we can see!!

Advice to Colin:- perhaps if you didn't waste so much personal money on lawyers' letters threatening to sue anyone who exposes your misadventures you'd have more money to cover your son’s special-needs education and not over-burden the Westminster rate-payers. Just a suggestion.

Henchman Gilchrist tries to cover up potentially disastrous fallout from HIS policy-making.

Looks like silver-tongued, Verrus-salesman-of-the-year, 3-times separated Alistair Gilchrist has had to admit to all those other Councils that he lured into Partnerships- in-Parking that his megalomaniac aspirations may land them all equally in the dock.

The EU Commissioners give their verdict next month as to whether or not the EU will sue the British Government (since they are the Member State) over Alistair rigging of the Pay-By-Phone contract award to Verrus, and its breaching of EU rules on framework contracts, which prohibit other parties accessing such a contract unless they were identified when the contract was signed. And why did Alistair have to admit it?

Apparently, some rotter from within our ranks alerted all the PIP partners in advance of last weeks PIP meeting. And Alistair's attempt to cover it up?

Well, they are only "allegations", and they shouldn't take any notice of what a bunch of bikers tell them! Note to Alistair:- if these "allegations" were as groundless as you so desperately hope, surely the EU Commissioners would have dismissed them long ago?

Note to NTBPT Supporters:- IF the EU Commissioners find against WCC, the Verrus Pay-by-Phone contract could be rescinded, with a replacement tender process taking several months during which WCC will be unable to collect their tax.

Note to Shareholders of Paypoint plc:- With the value of Verrus, so triumphantly purchased by Paypoint plc being heavily dependent on the WCC contract, looks like your company could have bought a lemon!!

WCC Head of Legal, Peter Large admits being caught with his pants down.

You may be aware that we have also been investigating the Parking Enforcement Contracts effectively nicked by ex-employees of National Car Parks Ltd (NCPL) back in March 2007, when it was bought by the Macquarie Group only after it ditched its Parking Enforcement activities. These redundant ex-employees created a new company called NCP Services Ltd that later became NSL Ltd.

Trouble for WCC is that, whilst they claim they "novated" the contracts to this new outfit a year later in March 2008, again, by EU law, this was illegitimate since, when NCPL vacated the contract, WCC had an obligation to re-tender it, not simply hand it to whoever. This would appear to have gone unnoticed by Head of Legal Peter Large as well as external lawyers, Sharpe Pritchard, the crew that Peter, rather than take any blame himself, was most quick to accuse of being at fault. Alas for poor Peter, he failed to notice that the bill for the "advice" and drawing up of this worthless "Deed of Novation" of a Ł14m local authority contract was a mere Ł300 - hardly used their Senior Partner then, did they? So confident was poor Peter that all was well, he twice stated (once under FOI) that these contracts did not have to be re-tendered. He even allowed the hapless WCC Chief Executive to announce to the world by press release that WCC Officers had "let the contracts properly".

Yet, in an email this week to Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, poor Peter admits he may have got it wrong:- " I agree the hourly rate is low, and that reflects the fact that a junior member of staff undertook the work. At the time, the novation of the contract would not have been regarded by any of those involved as a complex matter. It must be remembered that the Pressetext judgment in the ECJ, which is the case relied on by the motorbike protestors to support their argument that the contract should have been retendered rather than novated, was given in June 2008, after the novation took place. Before Pressetext few if any procurement professionals would have considered any question of a procurement exercise arose in these circumstances - and of course it is not clear that it does even after that case. In the absence of that issue, a novation agreement is, or should be, a straightforward matter." To understand what poor Peter is trying to say in his defence for not knowing the law, whilst being paid over Ł2,000 per week by WCC to...er...know the law...is that, whilst the law was there before they novated the contract in March 2008, the fact that no-one had been prosecuted for violating it in the way WCC have now done until June 2008 should be seen as a worthwhile excuse.

Summary

In short, my friends, the awards of both contracts that, according to WCC need to be paid by the proceeds of the motorcycle charging scheme, have been uncovered by us to be so flawed as to now potentially costs Westminster (and their ratepayers) Łm, and potentially ensnare all the partnering authorities of PIP (and their ratepayers alike) as well. And, bearing in mind that we have exposed how the only beneficiaries of the MCS were to be Verrus & NSL, and certainly not the WCC ratepayers, one can't help but wonder how they will feel now at the performance of Colin & his cronies. Of course, were it you or I whose incompetence & arrogance was so embarrassingly exposed as Alistair & Peter, we'd probably jump before we were pushed. But, this is Colin Barrow's WCC, who so correctly predicted that opposition to the MCS would be "small & short-lived".

NO TO BIKE PARKING TAX

TORY TOFFS EXPERT AT KILLING THE POOR THROUGH THE BENEFIT SYSTEM

Radical welfare shake-up will cut 50 benefits down to one

Iain Duncan Smith today signalled deeper cuts in benefits as he sought the backing of the Chancellor for a radical shake-up of the welfare state.

The Work and Pensions Secretary published his vision for a major simplification of the system, including possibly reducing more than 50 benefits down to one. The document, 21st Century Welfare, made clear that millions of people are likely to get lower benefit payments as the Government seeks to encourage them back into work.

“We are going to end the culture of worklessness and dependency that has done so much harm to individuals, families and whole communities,” said Mr Duncan Smith. “Our aim is to change forever a system that has too often undermined work and the aspiration that goes with it.” Key to the change is stopping people who switch from welfare to work from initially losing much of their extra income as their benefits are cut. The Government has already announced plans to reduce housing benefit payments.

Mr Duncan Smith's drive to get people off the dole or incapacity benefit is expected to have initial costs of between Ł3 billion and Ł7 billion — a bill that Chancellor George Osborne will be reluctant to meet. Arguing that his reforms would allow the Lib-Con coalition to get a grip on the welfare bill, the Work and Pensions Secretary insisted that the Government as a whole was “committed” to his reforms. Asked if he had made the sums add up, he said: “I believe we have. And the Treasury have discussed this with us.”

Mr Duncan Smith unveiled a series of options for change including the introduction of one single benefit — a universal credit — which would include a range of out-of-work payments, housing benefits and tax credits. Those entering work would not initially lose any of the universal credit but it would be gradually withdrawn once their income reached a certain level.

SOURCE

AUTHOR'S SUICIDE DUE TO SLASH IN BENEFITS (ONLY ONE OF MANY TO FOLLOW)

COUNCIL 2

COUNCIL 1