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Corruption exposed at the Council House

category bristol | local government | news report author Thursday October 30, 2008 22:15author by The Bristol Blogger - The Bristol Bloggerauthor email bristol_citizens at yahoo dot co dot uk Report this post to the editors

Dodgy land sale to Merchant Venturer

Documents released today by Bristol City Council under Freedom of Information legislation appear to expose corruption in senior officer ranks at the Council House.

The documents clearly demonstrate that £120k a year senior officer David Bishop - a “strategic leader” according to wet-behind-the-ears Chief Exec Ormondroyd - made what amounts to a private arrangement with multi-millionaire, Merchant Venturer architect, George Ferguson to sell him a plot of public land on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path at Greenbank.

In making this odd decision, Bishop ignored not only democratically created city council policy (the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy) but the advice of his own conservation, parks, leisure, property and transport officers.

One of them even comments on George Ferguson’s sudden stroke of good fortune in acquiring land that was strictly off limits and not for sale, “It’s amazing what a meeting with the right person can do!”

Isn’t it?

Indeed it's so amazing it's hard to see what the difference between Bishop’s behaviour and straightforward corruption is.

The episode also casts a serious question mark over new £180k pa Chief Exec Ormondroyd’s judgement. While Bishop was busy selling our land that's not for sale to influential millionaire property developers, Ormondroyd was busy reappointing him on an increased salary and describing him as “the best in the business“.

FOI documents here: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/sale_of_bristol_c...-8127

Further info'

http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/there...tegy/
http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/gag-time/
http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/artwa...cial/
http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/railw...full/
http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/09/15/insig...ance/
http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/10/13/they-...oing/
http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/10/15/they-...pt-2/
http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/10/17/they-...pt-3/
http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/its-c...bles/

see also

http://greenbristolblog.blogspot.com/
http://vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com/
http://bristolgreengage.blogspot.com/

Related Link: http://thebristolblogger.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/david...foot/
author by Save Castle Parkpublication date Fri Oct 31, 2008 02:30Report this post to the editors

Thanks Blogger

author by Bear in the woodspublication date Fri Nov 07, 2008 14:20Report this post to the editors

Sorry, folks, but this just is not going to grab the 'news' agenda.

News relies on something being different today to yesterday..

e.g.

* Bear using a public convenience and Andrex, rather than the woods and some leaves..

* Pope deciding maybe that Shariah law has something to recommend it after all.

* Bristol City Council employing decent architects without resorting to kick-back-handers...

author by Woodsypublication date Fri Nov 07, 2008 16:13Report this post to the editors

Why dont you put up some news yourself then @bear instead of merely trolling?

author by imcvolpublication date Wed Nov 12, 2008 17:07Report this post to the editors

Who's running this city?

Know your capitalists

Trevor Smallwood has been made Master of the Society of Merchant Venturers, Bristol
He has his fingers in many pies including a girls school.
To his shame he was a boss at FirstGroup

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