As the HELP group on Letchworth's town council slide into crisis and denial having lost their court case against former staff, Philip Ross, former Town Mayor and chairman of the council gives his commentary on the current scandal with HELP.
It seems that the HELP group just can’t accept they are wrong or take responsibility for their actions, like their old Scottish leader who has left them rudderless. I may post a copy of the judgement to them as it seems they haven’t read it.
The judge found that the old council acted reasonably, fairly and responsibility in difficult circumstances, running the usual services and policies of a council and took proper advice and behaved like responsible councillors and treated staff with respect. Whereas he described HELP as ‘unattractive’ and logged how they had reduced staff to tears with physical and verbal threats and general abusive behaviour.
It is true that HELP got advice to fight their case – eventually. They had to troop around several solicitors before they could find one who was prepared to say what they wanted. Hard to find I am sure, especially given that the solicitor they appointed for the staff felt that the compromise agreement (and gaging clause) they wanted staff to sign was so unreasonable that he advised them not to.
Staff offered to go to ACAS and arbitration, HELP turned them down with savage threats of costs if they carried on. They then hired a barrister who calls himself a ‘Rottweiler’ to try and savage them in court. It all backfired and they overwhelmingly lost their case on the three counts. Perhaps Lovett and Ritchie and Ellis will pay the costs themselves? To paraphrase the movie, the time for honouring themselves in such ways may soon be at an end – if they do let the people have their say.
As for the amount of money this has cost the tribunal awarded the ladies £80,000 between them, HELP made up a cost of £200,000 and now £300,000 and then a supporter last week suggested it was two million.
These figures don’t add up at all. Fantasy numbers, perhaps it includes the Foundation costs for its failed court actions and their salaries? I don’t know how much they have wasted and lost since taking office or what assets they have destroyed, but we left the council with healthy assets and strong reserves.
While HELP are stuck proffering a bitter and negative view of the past, our positive focus is on the future. How can we heal the town? Work with the new reformed Heritage Foundation? How can we build a new better Letchworth? It is time for a new generation to take over that will act for the many not the few. Once that is not only at peace with the Foundation but will partner them in making Letchworth a great place to live and work.
It seems that the HELP group just can’t accept they are wrong or take responsibility for their actions, like their old Scottish leader who has left them rudderless. I may post a copy of the judgement to them as it seems they haven’t read it.
The judge found that the old council acted reasonably, fairly and responsibility in difficult circumstances, running the usual services and policies of a council and took proper advice and behaved like responsible councillors and treated staff with respect. Whereas he described HELP as ‘unattractive’ and logged how they had reduced staff to tears with physical and verbal threats and general abusive behaviour.
It is true that HELP got advice to fight their case – eventually. They had to troop around several solicitors before they could find one who was prepared to say what they wanted. Hard to find I am sure, especially given that the solicitor they appointed for the staff felt that the compromise agreement (and gaging clause) they wanted staff to sign was so unreasonable that he advised them not to.
Staff offered to go to ACAS and arbitration, HELP turned them down with savage threats of costs if they carried on. They then hired a barrister who calls himself a ‘Rottweiler’ to try and savage them in court. It all backfired and they overwhelmingly lost their case on the three counts. Perhaps Lovett and Ritchie and Ellis will pay the costs themselves? To paraphrase the movie, the time for honouring themselves in such ways may soon be at an end – if they do let the people have their say.
As for the amount of money this has cost the tribunal awarded the ladies £80,000 between them, HELP made up a cost of £200,000 and now £300,000 and then a supporter last week suggested it was two million.
These figures don’t add up at all. Fantasy numbers, perhaps it includes the Foundation costs for its failed court actions and their salaries? I don’t know how much they have wasted and lost since taking office or what assets they have destroyed, but we left the council with healthy assets and strong reserves.
While HELP are stuck proffering a bitter and negative view of the past, our positive focus is on the future. How can we heal the town? Work with the new reformed Heritage Foundation? How can we build a new better Letchworth? It is time for a new generation to take over that will act for the many not the few. Once that is not only at peace with the Foundation but will partner them in making Letchworth a great place to live and work.
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