Corruption In Brent Council

EDM number 163 in 1995-96, proposed by Ken Livingstone on 05/12/1995.

That this House notes that an independent report by Derek Owen, of Fisher French Owen Associates has confirmed that the Ad Shop of Conservative-controlled Brent Council has lost ú400,000 of taxpayers' money, that Councillor Buckley, the Chair of Brent Business Board has 'a clear and substantial non-pecuniary interest' in respect of Ruth Jackson, the chief officer of the Ad Shop, and used his position to prevent these losses coming to light; notes that the report recommends that the District Auditor investigate the specific loss of ú23,800 spent on alcohol, lunches and a one hour-long staff meeting held in the VIP lounge of Amsterdam International Airport; deplores the decision of the Leader of the Council, Bob Blackman, to prevent this enquiry being held in public and his further attempts to intimidate councillors in order to suppress the report by insisting that it be discussed in closed session, hiring Securicor to distribute the report and insisting that councillors sign an undertaking not to show the report to, or discuss it with, any third party before being given a copy; and therefore believes that by this behaviour Councillor Blackman is attempting to cover-up this scandal and should resign immediately as leader to the Council and as Conservative candidate for Bedford.

This motion has been signed by a total of 7 MPs.