CONTROVERSIAL Thurrock councillor Joy Redsell has called on the legal department at Thurrock Council to launch an investigation into her relationship with ICG Ltd as well as the meeting with a property developer in a Brentwood hotel.
Her call comes at the end of a public inquiry into the enforcement notice for the Titan Lorry Park at Oliver Road in West Thurrock.
The defiant former mayor has gone on the attack in response to what she described as “unfounded accusations and somewhat unpleasant comments continue to circulate about me via the local media.”
In her letter to the head of the legal department, Tansim Shawcatt, Cllr Redsell goes on to say:
“For some considerable time there has been near hysteria regarding the connection between Thurrock Conservative Association and Industrial Chemicals Ltd. Much of the reporting around this has focussed on me personally and whether I have acted improperly in my capacity as an elected individual.
“Many reports that have appeared in the public domain have been riddled with inaccuracies and in my opinion have been designed to deliberately discredit me.
“Latterly, there have been accusations of misconduct on my part as a result of my meeting on 31 March 2011 for lunch with a long-term friend; by whom my opinion was sought on a planning idea. I should add that I was completely unaware that I was to be consulted on this matter until our meeting. Moreover, the issue discussed was no more than a proposal and not in relation to any planning application. Nonetheless, as a result of this incident, you will be aware that I removed myself from the Council’s Planning Committee in order to preserve the integrity of both myself and the said committee.
“With regard to both these issues, I feel there has been ample opportunity for any concerned individuals or commentators to make a complaint about me to you in your capacity as the council’s Monitoring Officer and for a Standards charge to be brought against me under the Members’ Code of Conduct.
“Despite having much to say via the anonymity of web based blog sites, it would appear that no individual/s have been able or willing to make a substantiated complaint to you; clear evidence in my opinion that there is no substance to the scurrilous commentary by certain individuals, some of whom are employed in the local media.
“I am resolute that at no time have I fallen foul of either the law or the Members’ Code of Conduct as a result of my behaviour as an elected Councillor. Nonetheless, as no other individual has seen fit to properly do so, I am writing to inform you that I wish to refer these matters for investigation by the Council’s Standards Committee, at the conclusion of which I expect to be cleared of these most serious allegations.
“As mentioned, I am certain that at no time have I abused my position, acted with dishonest intent, or inappropriately attempted to advantage any organisation/individual. Neither have I sought to influence the decision-making process beyond that which is acceptable of somebody in elected office.
Nonetheless, for whatever reason or motive, there appears to be continued innuendo regarding the way I have at times conducted myself. I therefore request that you commence proceeding to fully, openly, and robustly examine whether I have breached the Members’ Code of Conduct, or the law, in my dealings with matters relating to ICG Chemicals and/or by my actions on the 31 March 2011.
“Unusually, I have gone to the lengths of issuing this letter to the local media. My motive for doing so is to make entirely clear that I have not acted improperly at any time and have only ever sought to discharge my duties as an elected councillor to the best of my abilities.
“More importantly, for those who feel they have evidence of wrongdoing on my part, or who wish to contribute to or influence any forthcoming investigation, now is the time to stand up and be counted. I am no longer prepared to tolerate any more damage to my reputation and am willing to account for my actions honestly and openly.
Well if you want to clear yourself that bad then why do you not ask the council to publish any planning permission given to “your friend” or his company whilst you have been on the planning committe.
And perhaps your party could then publish the list of donations they have had from “your friend” or his company and we could see if the dates of the permission given come around the time of the donations.
Surely if you want to clear your name that would be a good start.
You would have thought the legal department would have already done this?
The rules for elected officials serving on Planning Committees are very simple – you do not meet with developers without an officer present, whether they are applicants or otherwise. The report on this website indicates that the developer in question has an interest in Thurrock’s LDF, i.e. future development or regeneration over the coming years. All members surely are appraised of the code of conduct upon assuming office? Surely there must be a part of this that deals with what is permitted regarding meeting developers?
If the Councillor’s reputation has been damaged, it is her own actions that have led to this. Defiance in the event of personal attack is one thing, defiance in not adhering to the rules is another, and regardless of whether the said Councillor likes it or not, the rules were broken very badly. Those rules are in place for a reason. The way in which disgruntled posters express this is the key, but it’s fair to assume that the discontent surrounding this bothers many.
I don’t see how concerned residents, or posters on this site, expressing opinion on the facts as presented, have any justification to make a complaint via official channels. The whole point of this sorry affair is that the facts look and appear awful for those involved. The facts as presented are all we have access too. The situation is made murkier still by the fact that it is unclear who filmed this, and what their motives were?
The YT article regarding Stuart St-Clair Haslam’s submission to the lorry enquiry itself states “On the 12th February, 2009, a meeting was brokered by cllr Joy Redsell between ICG boss Alan Carver and Brian Pooley. Also in attendance was cllr Ben Maney and myself”. Should Councillors be “brokering” meetings in this way, isn’t this the job of politically neutral council officers, who don’t represent a particular area or council ward? Why was an officer not present? Again here we read that this individual was a personal friend of one of the same councillor. The standard for being a councillor is a high one, and it just doesn’t seem that this standard has been met on more than one occasion.
Cllr Redsell I consider it right what you are asking but I believe it must be a public enquiry and surly this is what you are requesting to show the right minded members of the public you are being transparent. in your statement” via the anonymity comment” Surly I must assume you haven’t read the article from the former Chair of the LDF who felt uncomfortable with certain members of the conservatives not making any declaration because you had offices (so they are your LANDLORDS) on the site and there was items for this company being voted on in the LDF I feel you should have declared the 30 year friend ship and this company was your landlord you become bias to other developers and sites. Perhaps I’m wrong but that’s how I perceive it as a member of the public
Like your other friend who you met for lunch why didn’t you explain he was compromising you and you prefer not to look at the maps because you are not a consultant? A true friend I feel should not have put you in such an awkward position. but you has a councilor should have said NO in the press it states an Orsett men so was the land in Thurrock. Surly the legal department could look at the map on you tube enlarge it plus the colors in the map could help you pin point the area to make sure it’s not an application for the Thurrock borough. And this would show the residents and help clear your name. I back you and ask Thurrock council for a public enquiry. Cllr Redsell if you were reading these articles would you not feel certain judgments was against the code of conducts The standard for being a councilor is a high one I wish you all the best with the public enquiry
Cllr Redsell does make a valid point. If there really was substantial and factual evidence against her conduct, why haven’t any in the Labour group made an official complaint. Knowing how fond of Tory blood they are I find it strange that nothing has been done. Thus far, this site has been full of spite and bile toward Cllr Redsell based on not much more than innuendo and mischief, I am sure that, were there any real uncontested evidence of her wrongdoing, an investigation would have been launched long ago.
Gray64 Are you brain dead she’s been a friend of 30 years to the owners of this company. Without declaring it to anybody. It has taken this councilor over two months to make up a lame excuse her leader who is missing a back bone and has done nothing; about this situation. furthermore she is sitting with a developer and a Thurrock planning map on the table. What more proof do you need? that is precisely why Cllr Redsell was removed from the planning committee regardless to what she says? What is an admission to guilt in its own right? Cllr Redsell has already broken the rules without uttering a word and now she has the Gaul to ask for an enquiry. Yes let’s have an enquiry a very public one I’m sure this will suit Cllr Redsell. It now becomes very apparent why Anderson wants to gag the local press and this is why he must not be allowed to do , because any Tory councilor in Thurrock who votes in favour of this motion in full council should be named and shamed and considered in the same light as this disgraceful Councilor Joy Redsell
Its very simple, as soon as any potenial conflict arose she should have walked out of the lunch. She has let helself open to impropriety for the sake of a fre lunch, assuming she didnt pay!
What is re
what is required is a chronoligical investogation detailign permissions, sought, given and who authorised during the period of office. This is not hard to do and will clear matters up one way or the other.
Standards of Conduct in
Local Government
in England, Scotland and Wales
Summary of the Nolan Committee’s Third
Report on Standards in Public Life
Integrity
Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other
obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the
performance of their official duties.
Objectivity
In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding
contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office
should make choices on merit.
Accountability
Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and
must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.
Openness
Standards of Conduct in
Local Government
in England, Scotland and Wales
Summary of the Nolan Committee’s Third
Report on Standards in Public Life
Albert, I stand by my point. I am no fan of Cllr Redsell but, if she is guilty of all of the things you charge her with, why hasn’t somebody from the Labour side of the Council initiated an enquiry before? Could it be that there is no evidence of wrong doing? Grantc rather makes the point, if the regulations are as clear as that then she should already be gone. Nobody has held her to account and nobody on the council appears to have put her under scrutiny. Surely they would have if there was solid evidence? And Albert, you need to calm down, you will do yourself a mischief.
Gray64 As I have said in the past Thurrocks legal department and monitoring officers do absolutely nothing. Could it be that last year Cllr Joy Redsell and another Tory councilor had two separate standard charges brought against them because of their relationship with this same company the outcome of the standards board was they considered it necessary for further retraining of which they didn’t participate. Obviously Cllr Redsells comments to the committee would not have included which now transpires to her having a 30 years relationship with ICG and the owners. This in my belief is why the monitoring officer of Thurrock council is doing absolutely nothing the reason for this is completely obvious instead of investigating and monitoring this standards charge they have taken Cllr Redsell fairy-tale account as fact and decided to take no further action now they are in the position of being not capable to deal with this situation and have got no explanation of why they didn’t take action accordingly that is why there must be an enquiry in to this entire sordid affair and should be held outside the realms of Thurrock they had their opportunity to rectify this matter a year ago and for whatever reason and didn’t do a thing i let you guess the reason . They quite obviously didn’t investigate or abide to the rules of conduct and personal and prejudicial interest what this quiet clearly is. if they would have sorted this situation out this would have been nipped in the bud a year ago even though I believe this situation has been going on for years with this councilor I hope that answers your question Gray
So my recommendation for what it is worth and this is good advice go outside of Thurrock councils legal department because they are in a comah (tier one)
Well said Albert
It’s all about self preservation with cllr Redsell,( her self preservation).
Still it can’t be much longer before the nationals get hold of her story , you know the one that says NOT GUILTY ME LORD IT WAS A SET UP.
If this councilor wants an enquiry then Thurrock council should have a public enquiry I can understand Cllr Redsell asking for one because how the members of public perceive the whole situation. Nevertheless now the chair of the LDF has said Cllr Redsell had a 30 year friend ship and this company was also her landlord because the Tory association has offices on this site surly this would be prejudicial.
And when this other Councilor Haslam declared an interest when they was voting on the LDF core strategy and the company ICG had their site in the LDF for 1100 homes why did legal’s not question only one Tory member left the chamber knowing the Tory association had offices on this site
Its just like being in the school play ground with the school bully.
They keep dealing it out and dealing it out,yet when the big Boys come looking they run scared.
Isn’t it strange how this lady is calling for an enquiry now,after the enquiry in to her long standing friends ( yes ICG ) has finished. It’s quite amusing how all her long standing friends are property developers. I for one find it utterly disgusting that this women hasn’t been suspended from the council. After all that nice man Cllr rockcliffe was. He made one silly mistake and there wasn’t any second chances for him.yet I remember him as being very hard working for us residents. So why is it so different? Has the school bully been intimidating others I wonder.
I think that people should look at facts. In February of this year under FOI the Thurrock Gateway released minutes of a meeting held in April 2007 where Mr Millard stated that the Portfolio Holders for Transport and Community Safety along with Cllr Redsell met with the Carver brothers (owners of ICG) and suggested that they might provide a replacement for Truckworld lorry park which had closed. No officers were present. Then there is a second meeting with Mr Carver of ICG in 2009 as per the disclosure of Mr St Clair Haslam, again with no officers present. We now know that Cllr Redsell has known Mr Carver for over 30 years. Now I’m sure, Cllr Redsell was made patently aware of the TTGDC document, so just a month or so later what does she go on to do? She meets with Mr Isabel (a property developer) in a hotel outside Thurrock and is photographed with him and a map on the table between them. I notice that Mrs Redsell has given the date of this as the 31 March 2011. This was one of the days allocated for the Examination in Public for the Local Development Framework, where discussions were held in a hotel in Thurrock. Mr Maney sat on the LDF working party and was at the hotel that day as was I. You would have thought that as Cllr Redsell was also on the LDF working party, she might also have had some interest in this subject, or am I just being cynical in that she thought it a safe bet to pick that day when everyone else’s interest was diverted? Mr Isabel, bless him, then writes in on her behalf and then Mrs Redsell after a good two month think, decides to give a press statement to a newspaper outside Thurrock calling for an investigation. Why don’t you give her one Thurrock? Not literally- but a full, formal, independent enquiry- preferably on oath.
But let me come back to Mr Millard and the Thurrock Gateway minutes of April 2007 where he states that even though the planning authority is the TTGDC , he and Mr Newman have had meetings with ICG and the development has been operational for 2-3 months and when it is pointed out that contributions would be expected from ICG towards local highways, Mr Millard is quite happy to report that ICG have said no to that – and that he and Mr Newman would make an exception and ‘possibly the lorry park could be seen as temporary (e.g. up to five years)’. I am not sure that is allowed either. Someone tell me – do planners have that sort of clout? Can they advocate for an unauthorised lorry park? So we have a councillor who has known at least one of the owners for over thirty years, who has met them at the very least on two occasions without officers and met Mr Isabel without declaration and without officers. She sits on the HGV working party along with Mr Newman and ICG were then invited in to give a presentation for their unauthorised lorry park. Same lorry park is put through by the LDF working party (Cllr Redsell appears again) where although they are only an advisory body (presumably they are trusted) and they put the lorry park forward to Full Cabinet. Thurrock had one secret investigation where not one single member of the public was told what, who or even how this worked, but guess what – nothing was wrong. Thurrock Standards Committee investigated Mrs Redsell and you guessed right- nothing wrong. But if investigations are called for, let it be outside Thurrock and let it include the planning department. When valid questions are asked time and time and time again and those questions are deflected, remain unanswered, people are made to go through the Freedom of Information route and wait 20 working days for each answer- it only makes them more determined. I am not surprised Mr Anderson wants to effectively gag the local media- if I had inherited Cowell, Rockliffe, Nicklen and Redsell, then so would I……………You could not make it up.
cllr redsell
1. Had a personal friend ship for thirty years with this company ICG reported and offered under oath and not by anonymity
2. ICG was her landlord and made financial contribution to Thurrock conservatives’ association
3. Still waiting to hear if the porter cabin had planning permission for their offices in the middle of another illegal lorry park and didn’t notice all the HGVs on ICG land sat on the committee which was trying to establish a 24hour lorry park so Cllr Redsell wasn’t ignorant to the fact that it wasn’t an illegal lorry park ICG has two in THURROCK
4. Ask other councilors to meet with the owners of this company ICG .A councilor who quoted this statement offered it under oath
5. Encourage the owners of ICG to have an illegal lorry park invite them in to give a presentation to the HGV working group and give a presentation to promote this site Only.
Councilor Andy smith interrupting and pointed out to cllr Redsell “you have to invite all the promoters in for transparency” (Cllr Redsell doesn’t know the meaning transparency I believe) offered under oath by a councilor who chaired this group
6. TTGDC informed Thurrock council of the meetings between the Mayor in 2007 Cllr Redsell and ICG Thurrock council still did zilch
7 Titan works (ICG)have 1100 homes being put forward in the LDF core strategy the committee she sat on but Cllr REDSELL claims she never “sought to influence the decision-making process” voted for this in full council and never declared any interest personnel or prejudicial offered again under oath please does Thurrock council believe we are that dim-witted
8 Met with a developer in a hotel for lunch maps across the table never reported it to the planning department or her leader or the monitoring officer
9 Now release a press statement where another councilor doesn’t seem to share her version of events and told his side and offered under oath how are we THE PUBLIC intended to accept as true a word she says to anyone
10. 2000 residents objected to this illegal lorry park
THE MOUCHEL REPORT WAS PAID FOR BY THE COUNCIL AND SHOWED TO THE RESIDENTS OF WEST THURROCK COMMUNITY FUROM
London Road operates ‘like a major trunk road’; for example the A13
2. Over the survey period 15,800 two way traffic movements were recorded.
3. The London Road has a very high accident rate – 49 injury accidents in four years – that is over double the national average.
4. The number of H.G.V.’s using the London Road is three times the national.
COUNCILOR REDSELL ARE YOU THEIR FOR THE RESIDENTS OR HERSELF YOU JUDGE
I can here somethink for Redsell
NO sorry it was just guilty silence
Cllr Redsell I have just read on Thurrock Enquirers blog site there was a standards charge brought against you and councilor Maney why have you not stated this in the press either of you if you are both being so totally honest about your relationship with this company and it is all above board if you want to fully clear your name. you most first give the full facts to let the members of the public make up their own mind not sensor it then give statements that’s not how it works And where is Cllr Maney statement
Resign Redsell NOW Cllr Anderson Resign NOW you allow all this sleaze to happen on your watch this effects the people of Thurrock when enough is enough you go away in your plane and fly away. We live here day in day out I am glad this has come to light since the people have been kept in the dark long enough what was in the correspondence you received about councilor Redsell about her meeting in Brentwood.
let the residents decide I challenge you to show you are sincere and give it to the press because how are we to know you carried out satisfactory investigation because you can’t go by her words its already been proven she lies
she is dishonest in my opinion and many other residents and has for MP JDP she is a bloody disgrace