Friday brief: Labour opposition calls for investigation into council lawsuit
Plus some news in brief, our independent business of the week and some things to do at the weekend
The Labour group on North Northamptonshire Council is calling for an investigation into the handling of a lawsuit which has ended up costing taxpayers £4m.
Labour leader Cllr Jean Addison says she wants cross party scrutiny of what has gone on over the past couple of years, which has meant that taxpayers across North Northamptonshire are now picking up a multi-million pound bill for a lawsuit taken out against the former East Northamptonshire Council in 2019.
Just before Christmas the multi-million pound settlement was paid to Geoff Monks, former owner of the Snooty Fox pub in Lowick, who was wrongly jailed in the early 2000s for food safety offences.
He had his conviction quashed in 2015 and decided to sue the council after losing his businesses and also suffering a heart attack due to the prosecutions.
He has alleged in court papers that the authority’s former chief executive Roger Heath was having an affair with local solicitor Jennifer Lawrence who Monks had barred from his pub after a disagreement over a bottle of wine. He says after this incident his troubles began which saw three food safety prosecutions taken out against him by the former council.
Along with all other councils in Northants, ENC was closed down last April and replaced by two new unitary councils.
Cllr Addison, who was on the leadership group of councillors who were part of the shadow authority which was making decisions about the creation of the new unitaries, says nothing was said about the legal action until councillors were called to a secret meeting this summer.
She said: “The first we knew about it was at that first meeting. As a Labour group we abstained from the vote and also asked for a cross party scrutiny group to be set up to look at this, excluding any councillors from the former East Northamptonshire Council.
“There are lots of questions to be asked about how East Northamptonshire Council was operating.
“Why was it hidden until the councils were dissolved?
She added: “This is about an abuse of power. Surely someone would have blown the whistle.”
Cllr Addison says she wants the scrutiny group to find out who was involved in making the decisions about the lawsuit and why it was not dealt with more promptly.
Former leader of ENC, Conservative Cllr Steven North, stood down as a cabinet member of the new unitary council this summer after NN Journal exclusively revealed the lawsuit. Cllr Addison says Cllr North did not speak at the first secret meeting about the lawsuit and was not at the second, in which the 78 councillors were asked to agree a £4m settlement for Monks.
The chief executive of the former ENC up until its closure was David Oliver (who was not in position when Monks was pursued) and the chief finance officer, who was also heavily involved in the budgeting process for the new councils, was Glenn Hammons. Hammons was also the chief finance officer who signed off the now infamous Cobblers loan which saw Northampton Borough Council lose millions to the town’s football club.
Yesterday Northamptonshire Police told the Northants Telegraph an investigation ‘to ascertain whether any criminal offences have been committed in connection to this case is ongoing.” It is probable these offences would be linked to the original prosecutions against Monks from the late 1990s.
Police said the investigation had been ongoing for a couple of years but would not confirm the line of enquiry.
News in brief
West Northamptonshire Council says an administrative error on their part was to blame for some South Northants residents having their Council Tax payments incorrectly refunded to their accounts this week. The authority is now reviewing its processes to guard against it happening again.
WNC cabinet member for finance Malcolm Longley said: “We have now amended the details held on our system and will seek to request payments from people’s accounts later this week, so we would urge everyone to ensure they have sufficient funds available to cover this month’s council tax payment.
“We’ll do everything we can to contact those affected and alert them to this, and will use all other means at our disposal to ensure this message reaches the maximum number of people. We’re extremely sorry if this has caused an issue for anyone and we would urge them to contact us if this has led to any money issues or issues with your bank.”
A man was found with stab wounds this week after a chase took place between the river and Lidl on Towcester Road in Northampton.
He was taken to hospital but his injuries are not thought to be life threatening. Northamptonshire Police are asking for anyone with information about the incident to contact them on 101.
As revealed this week by the BBC, another councillor is off to Norfolk. Cllr Clive Hallam, who represents Earls Barton, told NN Journal yesterday that he does not intend to stand down and will ensure he has 100 per cent attendance for meetings and will carry on his casework duties as before. He said he was made an offer for his house and will possibly stay at his daughters house in the Kettering area so he can fulfil his duties.
Community
The Northampton organisation Dancemind has received funding from the National Lottery to allow it to run weekly dance sessions for people aged over 60.
The group meets on Thursdays from 1pm – 2pm in the dance studio at the newly renovated Northampton Museum and Art Gallery.
The hour sessions are co-delivered by two experienced dance artists, for anyone able to move independently. Sessions are supportive and adaptive to suit all abilities.
Each course runs for 10 weeks and costs £40 per term. More information can be found here: www.dancemind.co.uk
NN Culture
🍹There’s a bottomless 80’s event at the Charles Bradlaugh in Northampton on Saturday from 6pm, including unlimited pizza and cocktails. Tickets available here https://www.seetickets.com/event/bottomless-80s/the-charles-bradlaugh/2159972
🎵 There’s an evening of jazz from the Fabulous Miss Jones at The Falcon Hotel at Castle Ashby. Saturday night from 6pm, entry is free and there is no need to book.
🎭Beauty and the Beast by the Corby Amateur Theatrical Society is at the Cube in Corby. Tickets available here https://www.thecorecorby.com/whats-on/cats-beauty-beast/
Independent of the week
The Matchbox cafe on Abington Street in Northampton may be small but the great food and friendly staff make it a great spot to grab something to eat or drink while in town. Their homemade bread pudding is especially popular!
To be involved in one scandal is unfortunate, being involved in two.....