What do I do if I know of Council Corruption?

[spreadsheet]

Situation is - here in South Wales

lots of corruption with regard to granting planning permissions and use of shops etc


I know 100% that it goes on and I can practically pinpoint the bloke (or at least one of them) who takes the money. Thing is is that it's all hearsay if done in cash.


In an honest society you'd be in a rush to contribute to society - any pointers on this touchy issue?

[Russ]

Get on to the Western Mail.

[Escapee]

Originally Posted by spreadsheet

Situation is - here in South Wales

lots of corruption with regard to granting planning permissions and use of shops etc


I know 100% that it goes on and I can practically pinpoint the bloke (or at least one of them) who takes the money. Thing is is that it's all hearsay if done in cash.


In an honest society you'd be in a rush to contribute to society - any pointers on this touchy issue?

My experience is that little can be done, in our local authority there is blatant corruption. There has been some allegations and a number of investigations, but having evidence of corruption is difficult. There have been allegations that backhanders are collected on behalf of the head of planning who himself does not make direct contact with the paying applicant.

I went to a planning meeting regarding an obviously corrupt application, I had my 10 minutes to give my speech and the questions I raised were unanswered. I raised points that clearly indicated that the local authority were either completely incompetent or being paid by the builder.

They were more concerned or should I say furious that I had walked on-site and made measurements to prove the building bore little resemblance to the plans. They had no answer for the fact that the planning stipulations they made at the previous application for materials and colours etc had been ignored.

I guess it's what you get after having a Labour council in charge for about 90 years.

Oh, don't go suggesting it's just a matter of voting them out because that was tried. The group of independents who were voted in were paid a reasonably large sum of money each to sit on committees if they allowed the existing Labour council to continue in office.

[spreadsheet]

right vexing it is!!!

they are always banging on about other countries being corrupt and banana republics and it turns out we are one too

[Russ]

Exposing it in the media is the only chance you'll have of anything getting done.

Tell Private Eye..

Yup Private Eye are one of the few national publications that focus on corrupt councils, that or your local paper. Speak to both in fact.

[spreadsheet]

I have thought of private eye yes



tho the information I have is scant it is fairly accurate and a good reporter could probably sniff out the scam


will mail them after giving it some thought as they probably get a lot of messers and time wasters etc

---------- Post added at 23:15 ---------- Previous post was at 23:02 ----------

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Tell Private Eye..

Done

[martin201002]

Quite surprised, council corruption is so common it seems. Hope you get something done. Thought we lived in a fair society oh well.....

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Tell Private Eye..

In the hospital where I used to work, staff walking around with a copy of Private Eye was frowned upon. Why? No official reason, but most of the board of directors had been mentioned at some point or another by the publication.

[Taf]

There was a case here in Cardiff where someone reported "probable" illegal immigrants working in shops and food outlets to his local councillor.

The councillor did nothing, and it was later suggested that it was because he was of the same ethnic/religious group.

But still nothing was done after the situation was reported in the local press.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by spreadsheet

right vexing it is!!!

they are always banging on about other countries being corrupt and banana republics and it turns out we are one too

wales a banana republic eh

don't let that leek out