A BLUNDER BY THE LEADER OF A COUNCIL’S LABOUR GROU

A BLUNDER BY THE LEADER OF A COUNCIL’S LABOUR GROUP HAS LEFT

THREE SOCIAL WORKERS WITHOUT REDUNDANCY PAY AFTER A CONTROVERSIAL

CENTRE FOR THE UNEMPLOYED COLLAPSED.

AND COUNCILLOR JOHN HOGBEN, OPPOSITION LEADER ON REDBRIDGE

BOROUGH COUNCIL, WHO LOST THE VITAL FORMS, MAY HAVE TO FOOT THE

#900 BILL HIMSELF.

ON THURSDAY THE WORKERS – MR CHARLES SAY, 59, OF VERDERERS

ROAD, CHIGWELL, MRS JOYCE ALLARD, 56, OF CECIL ROAD, ILFORD LANE, AND

MR JOHN WRAY, 26, OF FILLEBROOK ROAD, LEYTONSTONE – TOOK MR HOGBEN TO

A WOBURN PLACE INDUSTRIAL TRIBUNAL IN A BID TO CLAIM THEIR REDUNDANCY

CASH FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE EMPLOYMENT.

MR HOGBEN, WAS CHAIRMAN OF BOTH REDBRIDGE TRADES COUNCIL,

WHICH SET UP THE ‘DROP IN’ CENTRE, AND THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE IN

CONTROL OF ITS AFFAIRS.

THE HEARING WAS POSTPONED TO FIND OUT IF THE DEPARTMENT OF

EMPLOYMENT HAD RECEIVED THE THREE FORMS, WHICH COUNCILLOR HOGBEN SAID

HE HAD SENT ON LATE, AND TO SEE IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD FOOT THE

BILL.

MF

CENTRAL/BLUNDER.

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.

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2

TRIBUNAL CHAIRMAN MR CHRISTOPHER ROBSON WARNED THAT IF THE

GOVERNMENT REFUSED, COUNCILLOR HOGBEN OR ALL THE INDIVIDUALS ON THE

DEBT-RIDDEN MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE COULD BE FORCED TO PAY OUT.

MR ROBSON SAID: ‘WE ARE LOATHE TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT

YOU, COUNCILLOR HOGBEN, ARE PERSONALLY LIABLE.

BUT WE HAVEN’T GOT A

LOT TO GO ON.

‘IT’S A VERY COMPLEX POINT BECAUSE THE EMPLOYER, THE

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, WAS FUNDED BY THE GLC – WHICH IS NO LONGER IN

EXISTENCE.

‘

TRADES COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE MR RON LITTELL POINTED OUT THAT

THE THREE WORKERS HAD THEMSELVES BEEN ON THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE,

AND MR ROBSON ADVISED BOTH PARTIES TO TAKE LEGAL ADVICE ON SUCH A

‘COMPLEX ISSUE’.

THE CENTRE, LABELLED BY REDBRIDGE TORIES AS A ‘HOTBED OF

SOCIALISM’, RECEIVED A #40,000 ANNUAL GRANT FROM THE GLC AND THREE

WORKERS WERE PAID A #9,000 ANNUAL WAGE.

MR SAY, AN ACTIVE TRADE UNIONIST AND LABOUR PARTY MEMBER,

TOLD THE TRIBUNAL: ‘NO WAY HAVE WE BROUGHT THIS UP AGAINST THE

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.

WE WANT THE MONEY WE ARE ENTITLED TO FROM THE

DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT.

WE ARE ALL TRADE UNIONISTS.

THIS HAS ONLY

COME ABOUT BECAUSE OF A DELAY IN THE FORMS GETTING THROUGH.

‘

COUNCILLOR HOGBEN ADMITTED THERE HAD BEEN A MIX UP OVER THE

FORMS WHILE HE WAS ON HOLIDAY.

OUTSIDE THE HEARING HE SAID: ‘I ADMIT I FORGOT THE FORMS

AND I’M SORRY.

I’M NOT OPPOSING THESE TRADES UNION PEOPLE AND I NEVER

HAVE.

I WANT THEM TO GET THEIR MONEY TOO,’ HE SAID.

ENDS