From: Pat Cumbers [mailto:pat.cumbers@ntlworld.com]
Sent: 05 October 2008 14:45
Subject: www.meltonmowbraytownestate-seniortownwarden.org.uk  

 

Melton Mowbray Town Estate. Annual Meeting. Monday 6 October 2008  8 pm Melton Baptist Church , Leicester Road, Near Focus/Do It All. Proof of address/identity  e.g. utility bill, driving licence might be required in order to vote.   To be eligible to vote you need to reside in ‘that part of the town which formed the old Urban District of Melton Mowbray.’   That area includes some dwellings with a LE14 Post Code but most of the dwellings have a Post Code of LE13.

 

Hello Meltonians

We are nearly at the 2008 Annual Town Meeting for the Town Estate.

If you love Melton Mowbray and the  Town Estate as much as I do, I ask that you please read this e-mail and the attachments to this e-mail. I hope this will give you more of an  insight into what goes on in this charity which belongs to the people of  Melton Mowbray and is managed by the feoffees on your behalf.

A lot of good things have happened in the Town Estate since I was elected Senior Townwarden in October 2007 but all has not been well within the organisation.

It’s well documented that John Southerington badly mismanaged the Town Estate when he was previously Townwarden in 1986,  there being so many problems that the feoffees passed a vote of no confidence in the Townwardens. There were many difficulties including the Town Estate being left with indebtedness of £60,000 and £13500 received for the sale of a lease was spent instead of being invested as required by the Charity Commission. The Auditors had to mark the Annual Accounts accordingly. ( Please see more about the problems with John Southerington in 1986 and also 2007/8  in the attached report)

People can often change, can put the past behind them and the past can be forgotten but has John Southerington changed ?  It appears not – he still does things without the authority of the feoffees. He still removes records from the Town Estate office and  retains then elsewhere and refuses to provide information to which other feoffees are entitled, including financial.  His high handed behaviour has led to the Town Estate solicitor stating he, the solicitor,  would have to ‘consider his position’.

But John Southerington is not the only problem within this organisation.

Why does the  Town Estate Chairman Ken Saunders pretend the Town Estate has a Child Protection Policy when it clearly does not ? Why are so many feoffees apparently unconcerned about this, especially when the Town Estate has had particular problems with paedophiles who were within the Town Estate ?

Why do most of the feoffees apparently think it acceptable for John Southerington to shout Shud Up, Shud Up, about 12 times at  me, then to call me a silly old woman and approach me with fists clenched as thought he might strike me ? 

Why do most feoffees, including the Chairman,  apparently think it acceptable for Dr Bruce Williamson to call me  ‘brainless and unintelligent’ at a meeting ?

Why are most feoffees apparently not bothered that I should arrive at the Town Estate office, only to find that the Chairman Ken Saunders has, without consultation, had the locks changed in order to lock me out ?

Why were so many feoffees apparently not bothered when the Chairman accused Sue Gowans of ‘rolling over the Town Estate’ when the Town Estate had lost resoundingly, the Court Case brought by John Southerington and Richard Sage against her, then to add that  people should know nice Mrs Gowans  isn’t  nice Mrs Gowans at all ?

Why are most feoffees apparently unconcerned that I have been ‘airbrushed’ out , as in Stalinist Russia, from the agenda of the 2008 Annual Town Meeting, from the ‘Feoffees’ Report’ and from the posters advertising the meeting.

Why did the Town Estate decide to cease making contributions to local schools, without consulting the Charity Commission or the Annual Meeting.

Why is the Court Case not mentioned in the Annual Report and how much did the court case cost the Town Estate including an allowance for staff time ?

Why are some feoffees not allowed to see the Town Estate Register of Interests so are unable to know to which businesses, clubs and societies, secret or otherwise, that feoffees belong.

Why do some feoffees take so little interest in what is going on at meetings and within the Town Estate that Chairman Ken Saunders calls them ‘rubber stampers’.  Over the past year, at Feoffees’ Board meetings, Derek Larder and John Sanderson have spoken on average 3 to 4 words, per meeting which warranted minuting  and Richard Sage has not spoken once about anything which was worth minuting ?  All three are standing for election and are recommended for election by John Southerington.

Please come to the meeting on Monday 6 October 2008 and ask your questions.

Best wishes to you all

 

Pat Cumbers, Senior Townwarden , Melton Mowbray Town Estate