Formal or informal, I am easy - John is just plain wrong. As an arm's length management company no councillor, not even the Lead Member (which was myself), had any say at all in the appointment of Hounslow Homes' senior management. I was invited to the interview process as a courtesy and participated as an observer but the decision was taken by the Board. Simple as that, that is how ALMOs work.
That said we have had a Labour administration in Hounslow now for well over four years. Any alleged fraud would almost certainly have taken place on its watch. It is usual in politics for any administration or government to blame its predecessor for its mistakes but the impact of such craven nonsense is subject to the law of diminishing returns, and in my case as somebody who is no longer involved in local politics it would of course be zero.
I would imagine John still is holding a candle for the previous Managing Director of Hounslow Homes, the one who refused to recognise the outcome of a local election. There are many who blame me for his departure but I couldn't possibly comment. |