Rotten Borough

The Antidote to Local Authority Web Sites.

"Elections are decided by the votes of the uneducated many for the corrupt few."
George Bernard Shaw.

I tried to be a local councillor in the town of Berkhamsted, in the county of Hertfordshire in the south east of England. I hoped to represent the interests of the people who elected me; instead I became an insignificant part of a bloated system designed to serve the personal interests of its employees and their cronies, especially the rich men who run big companies. Satisfactory local services are not being delivered. People who complain are usually lied to.

The government tries to pretend that there is not much wrong with the system. Meanwhile, local taxes go up by more than the rate of inflation every year. I expect this extortion will continue until civil disobedience persuades those complacent politicians to do something about it. Disobedience might as well start here.

  • Introduction - My reasons for setting up this web site.

  • Subversive Sites - An article by Jad Adams.

  • How to silence complainants - Advice to councils from the Local Government Ombudsman.

  • The Local Government Ombudsman's guidance on persistent complainants.

    • This web site is dedicated to victims of the establishment. I will publish their stories as they send them to me.

  • Information Sought - Tell me about local government in your area.

    • COMING SOON - "Rottendale?" - how Rossendale District Council - recently awarded Most Ethical Council is trying to whitewash a serious complaint of officer malpractice, unlawful decision-making and abuse of its obligations under the Human Rights Act.

    Victims' Stories

    Responsibility for opinions expressed in articles published in this section and for the accuracy of any statements in them rests entirely with the individual contributor.

  • J.K. Andrews - Leigh, Lancashire.
    An 83-year-old woman has multiple disabilities, is unable to communicate and lives in a nursing home. Her son complains about the standard of medical care she is receiving. Instead of improving her care, the authorities ban her son from visiting her.

  • Tony Ashton - East Devon.
    A Management Systems Specialist sends the Local Government Ombudsman evidence of eleven irregularities committed by East Devon District Council when processing an application for planning consent. The LGO rules that only one of these constitutes "Maladministration".

  • Rachel Battersby - Fylde, Lancashire.
    Fylde Borough Council and property development.

  • Martin Brighton - Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
    Sheffield City Council encourages local volunteers to set up neighbourhood forums in order to obtain funding from the European Union. Council placemen then oust the volunteers and allow the council to misappropriate the funds.

  • Diane Charlton - Ilkeston, Derbyshire.

    • A dispute between neighbours and Rayden Engineering Limited.

  • Mel Clements - Bedford, Bedfordshire.

    • Agrevo's hazardous waste (Organophosphates) causes a truck driver severe health problems. The medical establishment will not help. Then he gets in touch with other victims.

  • Sami El-Kalyoubi - Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

    • A British Citizen, born in Egypt, lets a flat to a tenant who damages the property and racially abuses his landlord. Dacorum Borough Council prosecutes the landlord for illegal eviction.

  • Theresa Ezekpo - Camden, London.

    • A single mother is harassed by her neighbours. Camden Council refuses to help her. The Local Government Ombudsman finds in favour of the council.
  • The Real State of Camden Council by Theresa Ezekpo.

  • Eddie Fewings - Blackpool, Lancashire.

    • A self-employed trader suffers a succession of crimes but finds that his local police force rarely helps him.
  • Letter from Eddie Fewings to Hazel Blears M.P., Minister of State for Crime Reduction, Policing and Community Safety.

  • A Fireman's Wife - Royston, Hertfordshire.

    • Hertfordshire County Council's reorganisation of its Fire and Rescue Service smacks of incompetence and worse. The "Public consultation" is a sham. False information is disseminated. Uncertainty is caused unnecessarily to firefighters and their families.

  • Graeme Hicks - Redruth, Cornwall.
    • Cornwall County Council appears to put the interests of property developers constructing new housing estates before the interests of taxpayers. When an independent councillor investigates, the officers cover up.

  • Ron Hollyer - Birdhaven, Surrey.
    • Waverley Borough Council allows a builder to connect to a private sewer without permission from the owners. The Local Government Ombudsman rules in favour of the council.

  • Christine Jones - Gwaun Valley, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
    • A primary school child is bullied by pupils and a teacher to such an extent that his mother is forced to take him out of the school. She complains to all the responsible authorities, but these combine to cover the bullying up.

  • John Kear - Petersfield, Hampshire.

    • An employee of Neural Technologies complains to his employer and is summarily dismissed. The Southampton Employment Tribunal finds against him, and he is been unable to obtain redress through the courts ... so far.

  • Guy Leven-Torres.

    • The left-wing education establishment obstructs a professional archaeologist's work. Read his excellent new book, "A Question of Balance".
    WARNING - this material is not suitable for devotees of Political Correctness ...

  • Chapter 1 - Overview of Modern Britain.

  • Chapter 2 - Education.

  • Chapter 3 - History.

  • Chapter 4 - Morality.

  • Chapter 5 - Sexuality and Gender.

  • Chapter 6 - Ah, Religion at Last!

  • Chapter 7 - The Environment.

  • Chapter 8 - The Politics.

  • Chapter 9 - Islam.

  • Chapter 10 - St. Crispin's Day.

  • Chapter 11 - Law.

  • Chapter 12 - Assimilation.

  • Philip Male

    • A Local Conciliation Officer described this as the worst case of solicitor negligence and misconduct he had ever seen. What made the case more severe was the number of solicitors involved and how some of those solicitors had covered up serious misconduct by others.

  • Tony Martin - Durham.

    • A shoemaker uses his shop window to display information about corruption and incompetence at his local council, which tries to force him out of business. Cobblers to the council!

  • John McKenna - Kentish Town, London.

    • A resident is harassed by his neighbours. Camden Council, the Police, the Local Government Ombudsman, a succession of solicitors and the Law Society all let him down.
  • Open letter from John McKenna to Tony Redmond, Local Government Ombudsman.

  • Clive Mowforth - Dursley, Gloucestershire.

    • Stinchcombe Hill Golf Club obstructs the Cotswold Way. A walker who uses this public bridleway is repeatedly abused by golfers. Gloucestershire County Council and the Police refuse to intervene.

  • James Murray - Tealby, Lincolnshire.

    • A 75-year-old complains about anti-social behaviour by tenants of the ACIS Housing Association. Instead of dealing with the complaints, an "Unholy Trinity" of ACIS, West Lindsey District Council and Lincolnshire Police combine to accuse him of anti-social behaviour. He suffers a near-fatal stroke and is then forced to give undertakings to a court.

  • Corrine O'Keeffe - Didsbury, Manchester.

    • Manchester City Council repeatedly harasses one of its tenants. The Local Government Ombudsman supports the council. The victim does not obtain justice through the courts.

  • A Parent - Blackpool, Lancashire.
    A 61-year-old man repeatedly abducts a 12-year-old boy, gives him alcohol, cigarettes and money and takes him to a nightclub. The man is sentenced to only six months in prison.

  • Gary Powell - Hounslow, London.

    • Hounslow Borough Council refuses to re-house members of a family living in overcrowded conditions. When he Department of Social Security muddles their Housing Benefit paperwork, the council threatens to evict them. The Local Government Ombudsman supports the council, until the complainant's persistence brings concessions.

  • Carol Riley - Greenwich, London.

    • A solicitors' error causes a house to be reposessed. The legal establishment covers up. The "Assistant Borough Solicitor" is found to have been "Struck off" and imprisoned ten years previously.

  • Derek Ryder - Plymouth, Devon.

    • Twenty years of harassment by the Masons.

  • "Creature S." - Camden, London.

    • Camden Council Social Services harass a mother and her children while they are mourning the death of her father.
  • Letter to Parliament from "Creature S."

  • Articles on Children, Families and Social Services compiled by "Creature S".

  • Sisi Sem - Camden, London.

    • "Read how my daughter threw herself out of a window while under the care of Camden Council."

  • Joanne Shaw - Walsall, West Midlands.

    • The responsible authorities fail to act on complaints about the treatment of an eight-year-old boy in the care of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council. The council then takes the complainant to court in pursuit of Council Tax arrears which she does not owe.

  • Valerie Smith - Walsall, West Midlands.

    • Staff at Walsall Council's Print and Design Unit do little work, waste taxpayers' money and print supplies, fail to recycle and smoke and drink on duty. Drugs and stolen property are offered for sale on the premises. A staff member who complains is victimised and then sacked.

  • Mary Stewart - Camden, London.

    • A tenant sub-lets his flat illegally to anti-social people. A neighbour who complains to Camden Council is attacked by means of electronic transmissions. Camden Council and the Local Government Ombudsman protect the offenders.

  • A.W. Tanner - Green Lanes, London.

    • A World War Two veteran and his wife tried to get the Valuation Office Agency to look at their claims regarding getting on a lower Council Tax banding because of numerous mobile telephone phone masts (at the time liked with cancer) immediately opposite their home, plus proliferation of take-aways resulting in more rubbish. The VOA denied that Mr. and Mrs. Tanner had a case, claiming it was 'invalid'. It took them 16 months to get the VOA decision overturned. The simple appeal was turned into a nightmare with even more 'old pals acts'. Mr. and Mrs. Tanner have forgone the appeal because of ill health, but have continued to pursue the fraudulent and corrupt acts against them.
  • Letter to the Prime Minister from Mr. and Mrs. Tanner.

  • Further letter to the Prime Minister from Mr. and Mrs. Tanner.

  • Letter to Des Browne M.P. from Mr. and Mrs. Tanner.

  • Public Sector Corruption - Letter to Sir Gus O'Donnell, Cabinet Secretary, from Mr. and Mrs. Tanner.

  • Hubert Taylor - Birmingham.

    • The Honorary Regional Secretary of the National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses Limited uncovers irregularities within the company and is forced from his post.

  • Imogen Taylor - Derby.

    • Derby City Council refuses an application to become a foster carer. Read the applicant's open letter to the Chief Executive.

  • John Waller - Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.

    • Residents have been seeking basic improvements to their road for seven years without success. In the meantime, their Council Tax has almost doubled.

  • Margaret Walton - Farncombe, Surrey.

    • Waverley Council repeatedly fails to repair a tenant's home.

  • Peter Webb - Thame, Oxfordshire.

    • A Forestry Officer employed by South Oxfordshire District Council wrongly accuses the owner of a listed building of breaching Town Planning regulations. A Planning Officer working for the same local authority is careless in writing a report on a proposed car port. The council will not admit that the officers made mistakes. The Planning Inspectorate and the Local Government Ombudsman refuse to intervene and cut off communication. As a result, the owner is forced to build something which is out of keeping with his property.

  • Christine Williams - Camden, London.

    • A pub's noisy extractor fan keeps a resident awake at night. Camden Council refuses to intervene. The Local Government Ombudsman finds in favour of the council. The ombudsman's recommendations are not even passed on to the victim.

    Readers' Letters

  • A CCTV Operator writes from Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

  • A serving Police Officer writes from Cornwall.
  • John Illingworth, webmaster to the Kirkstall Valley Campaign, writes from Leeds, Yorkshire.
  • Graeme Hicks, Cornwall County Councillor, writes from Redruth.

    Links

  • Local Links - Find out what the establishment is doing to your area.

  • Other Links - Other web sites which may interest readers.

    • Personal Experience

  • Location Map - The Towns and Boroughs/Districts of Hertfordshire.
  • Central Berkhamsted - a street plan.
  • Dacorum - A Rotten Borough Council.
  • Dacorum Borough Council - Verse and worse.
  • Town Planning and Dacorum Borough Council.
  • The Kingsgate Scandal - The story of Berkhamsted's Waitrose store.
  • Arsenic and Old Buildings - A poisonous excuse for demolition.
  • The Loss of Netherfield House - How Grantham Mews got its name.
  • Signs of Unfairness - Selective enforcement of planning law.
  • Building in the Green Belt - It's all about money.
  • Trees should be conserved, not Smedleyed.
  • The Canal Fields Chainsaw Massacre - and Dacorum Borough Council's attitude to complaints.
  • Foul, Ref! - Dacorum Borough Council doesn't give safety a sporting chance.
  • Letter to the Daily Telegraph published on 7th. January 2004.
  • Noise Annoys - but Dacorum Borough Council fails to stop it.
  • Street Name Plates - Dacorum Borough Council cocks a leg.
  • Park Street is a Dark Street - Councils fail to do routine maintenance.
  • Not-so-Candid Cameras - The Berkhamsted Town Centre CCTV Scheme.
  • Berkhamsted Collegiate School - "Me first, because I'm rich".
  • Hertfordshire County Council - "The system is impenetrable".
  • The Berkhamsted Bypass Demonstration Project - Hertfordshire County Council gives us the hump.
  • Network Rail covers up criminal damage - Hertfordshire Police cop out.
  • The European Parliament - the reality is even worse than the caricature.
  • If you want an empty flat, see a Derek - A councillor hastens the Townsend.

    • Falling Masonry

    Extracts from the Hertfordshire Masonic Yearbook of 1999/2000.

  • Front cover
  • Iceni Lodge No. 5975 - The Cloisters, Letchworth.
  • Barham Lodge No. 6004 - Masonic Hall, Radlett.
  • Old Manor Lodge No. 8339 - Ashwell House, St.Albans.
  • Friendship Lodge No. 8357 - Ashwell House, St.Albans.

  • Kingswood Lodge - an article reprinted with permission from Hertfordshire on Sunday.

    • Membership Lists

  • Berkhampstead Chapter of Royal Arch Masons No. 504 - The Gables Hall, Linslade.

  • Berkhampstead Lodge No. 504 - The Gables Hall, Linslade.

  • Berkhamsted Rose Croix Chapter No. 532 - Halsey Masonic Hall, Watford.

  • Berkhampstead Lodge of Mark Master Masons No. 1172 - Ashwell House, St. Albans.

  • King Henry VIII Lodge No. 1757 - Ashwell House, St. Albans.

  • Kingswood Lodge No. 2278 - Ashbourne Room, County Hall, Hertford.

  • Royston Lodge No. 4304 - The Masonic Hall, Royston.

  • Old Berkhamstedian Lodge No. 4903 - Berkhamsted Collegiate School.

  • Tring Lodge No. 5001 - The Gables Hall, Linslade.

  • Priory Chapter of Royal Arch Masons No. 5152 - Ashwell House, St. Albans.

  • Hemelhemstede Lodge No. 7923 - Ashwell House, St. Albans.

  • Dacorum Lodge No. 8631 - Ashwell House, St. Albans.

    • More lodge membership lists will follow.

  • Lists of Masonic Lodge officers, county by county.

    • Mason Illustration

  • Edward Tuck and Keith Emmerson
  • Michael Jones and Peter Fotheringham

    • To be continued ...

    This web site is protected under Article 10 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

  • What the papers say - Quotable quotes.
  • Information Sought - Tell me about local government in your area.

    • Copyright © 2008 - Ian Johnston
    All Rights Reserved
    E-mail ijjohnston@totalise.co.uk