MCC Gates, Lampton Group, Romance Fraud and the Hogarth Roundabout
Chiswick Homefields councillor John Todd reports back
Cllr John Todd
July 27, 2024
West 4 Joinery Ltd. Wood Craftsmen.
This remarkable company is located in the railway arches under Stamford Brook Tube Station. With our GLA colleague we helped them with lease negotiation with TfL.
Whilst in their workshop I saw the gates being prepared for installation at Lords Cricket Ground.
Marylebone Cricket Club must be delighted.
Lampton Group . A group of companies owned by LBH since 2012 but operated by non-Council personnel
LBH Objective . To generate financial surpluses and return those to the council. It is a company wholly owned by the council and with an aim of returning value to the council.
LBH announced last Friday that the Interim Group Managing Director, will be leaving Lampton at the end of August 2024.
While Lampton Group recruit a replacement, Rowland Omamor and Steve Wild in the Lampton leadership team will assume additional management responsibilities. Mandy Skinner, Assistant Chief Executive and Executive Director at Hounslow, will also support the business in an executive capacity as Interim Group Managing Director on secondment three days per week from Monday, 19 August 2024
We have followed the performance of these companies and raised challenge at both Audit Committee and Council.
In late 2023 the cabinet agreed that three members of the cabinet would join the shareholders oversight group to increase the oversight and challenge
The committee met in February 2024. Their meeting in June was cancelled.
In the same month the new Executive Head of Finance successfully sought £100k of council funds to instruct independent accountants to review the records and projections of this group of companies.
In his justification report he stated: 'Lampton have been reporting adverse financial performance against their business plan for 22/23 and presented a business plan which will make a loss due to a need to undertake some transformation activity. '
Cllr Rajawat the Council Leader has to date made no comments about the Head of Finance's initiative or explained why the request for funds didn’t involve the cabinet.
None of these companies have produced satisfactory returns since inception. Some have required additional capital.
Internal audit have on a number of occasions criticised the lack of supporting documentation, the lack of formal agreements and other issues that should have been completed years ago.
A number of local authorities with trading companies have incurred material losses.
Our potential exposure is the substantial sums lent to the Lampton property companies. This risk will be addressed by the independent investigation.
We continue remain disappointed by the apparent lack of robust governance and oversight.
Any losses incurred is diverting council tax to remedy.
Enough is enough.
Romance Fraud
Last month saw the City of London Police run its annual romance fraud campaign.
In the last year, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), run by the City of London Police, received 8,792 reports of romance fraud, amounting to losses of over £94.7 million. The average loss per person was £10,774.
Reporting is now at some of the highest levels to date, with an 8.4 per cent increase on the previous 12-month figures (up from 8,110).
Of the reports made, 45 per cent of approaches were via online dating sites, 41 per cent were made by social media and 12 per cent via other communications platforms. Increasingly, criminals approach targets on social media and communications platforms rather than dating sites, as such approaches are less expected. Some reporting also suggests that criminals are using cold outreach methods, for example ‘wrong number’ messages and hacked social media accounts, to approach targets.
Hogarth Roundabout Public Consultation
TfL are holding a drop-in event at Hogarth House on the 10th and 20th August 2024. The scheme proposes closing the entrance to Church Street from the roundabout with an inadequate alternative route.
The resultant impact on local residents and St. Nicholas Church is draconian. TfL have failed to comprehend the unique issues in this locality including the weekly flooding from the Thames.
Please complete the TfL questionnaire. Local knowledge is so valuable.
Dukes Meadows - land adjacent to the Emmanuel Boat house
This plot of land was used in the construction of the new footbridge. Network Rail are using it now to make important repairs to their bridge which should be finished in two months.
LBH have funded this overdue project. The views of users are welcome
Cllr John Todd
07866 784651
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2024/25
Chiswick Area Forum is expected to be on Tuesday 24 September at 7.30pm
The Hogarth Hall, Chiswick Town Hall, Heathfield Terrace, Turnham Green W4 4JN
The Next Scrutiny Panel is expected to be on Thursday 19 September at 7.00pm Room 610. 6 th Floor, Hounslow House 7 Bath Road TW3 3EB
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR SURGERIES
Chiswick: Every Saturday from 9.30am to 10.30am at Chiswick Library (the eight Conservative councillors take this surgery in turn).
Gunnersbury: First Saturday of the month from 10am to 11am at The Gunnersbury Triangle Club, Triangle Way, off The Ridgeway, W3 8LU (at least one of the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward councillors takes this surgery).
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLORS and CONTACTS
Chiswick Gunnersbury (was Turnham Green) ward
Cllr Ranjit Gill ranjit.gill@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702956
Cllr Ron Mushiso ron.mushiso@hounslow.gov.uk 07976 702887
Chiswick Homefields ward
Cllr Jack Emsley jack.emsley@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 396017
Cllr Gerald McGregor gerald.mcgregor@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784821
Cllr John Todd john.todd@hounslow.gov.uk 07866 784651
Chiswick Riverside ward
Cllr Gabriella Giles gabriella.giles@hounslow.gov.uk 07966 270823
Cllr Peter Thompson peter.thompson@hounslow.gov.uk 07977 395810
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