Basildon Council cleared on golf course action

8:30am Tuesday 19th June 2012 in Basildon By Jon Austin

Basildon Golf Course Basildon Golf Course

Basildon Council has been cleared of corruption over its handling of the town’s golf course redevelopment.

However, the authority was criticised by district auditor, Debbie Hanson, over the deal drawn up to lease the course to a private company.

In her report, it is revealed the council lent the company running the course, Jack Barker Ltd, £60,000 to build a road to take thousands of tonnes of rubble to the site, even though it would have been illegal to import the spoil.

The council loaned the money in December 2009, even though Barker’s licence for spoil to be brought on to the site had expired nearly a year earlier.

Officers handed over the money before the end of a court battle between them and campaign group Friends of Basildon Golf Course. The group wanted to stop the use of building rubble and soil being brought in to redesign the course to fund a £1million clubhouse and driving range and the privatisation of the course.

Mrs Hanson investigated complaints made by the campaign group.

She concluded: “I have identifed a number of areas for improvement in the council’s governance arrangements and decision-making processes relating to the golf course disposal and the subsequent financial assistance provided by the council.

“These are not so significant, however, as to warrant formal action on my part. I have not, in particular, identified any illegality or fraud or corruption.”

In her report, it was also revealed the council supported Jack Barker with a total of £234,000 in free rent and other subsidies, including the loan, during the court clash.

The auditor concluded councillors who first agreed to lease the course to Jack Barker in 2005 had no idea its business plan was to import the spoil and therefore gave no consideration to possible environmental and financial impacts during the tender process.

It also emerged councillors were not informed of the full cumulative cost of support to the company, nor given clear reason for the actions, an officer waived a £6,000 bill for hiring maintenace equipment without any councillors being informed and there was no initial risk assessment done to deal with problems which arose.

Basildon Council said it had since reviewed its decision-making, procurement and planning processes.

Another company is temporarily running the course while its future is decided.

Comments (10)

8:41am Tue 19 Jun 12

resident3 says...

Scandalous!

This invaluable asset is being deliberately run down by the Council, in the hope of a big sell-off when trade drops as a result of the run-down.

Now is the time to invest in this beautiful facility!

Build a clubhouse for the members, rent it to them with an option to buy, and preserve this wonderful course for future generations.
Scandalous! This invaluable asset is being deliberately run down by the Council, in the hope of a big sell-off when trade drops as a result of the run-down. Now is the time to invest in this beautiful facility! Build a clubhouse for the members, rent it to them with an option to buy, and preserve this wonderful course for future generations. resident3

8:46am Tue 19 Jun 12

shallotman says...

It would seem that a professional developer, ran rings around our amateur councillors. Roll on the next b***s-up.
It would seem that a professional developer, ran rings around our amateur councillors. Roll on the next b***s-up. shallotman

9:58am Tue 19 Jun 12

The Cater Wood Creeper says...

Bulldozer Ball and Fatty Blake and their developer entranced cronies will sell it off for housing soon enough.....
Bulldozer Ball and Fatty Blake and their developer entranced cronies will sell it off for housing soon enough..... The Cater Wood Creeper

11:00am Tue 19 Jun 12

jolllyboy says...

So councillors supported a lease without knowing the plans ? Do we believe that when planning permission is needed to even blow your nose .
So councillors supported a lease without knowing the plans ? Do we believe that when planning permission is needed to even blow your nose . jolllyboy

12:02pm Tue 19 Jun 12

The Cater Wood Creeper says...

jolllyboy wrote:
So councillors supported a lease without knowing the plans ? Do we believe that when planning permission is needed to even blow your nose .
brown envelope/blind eye syndrome perhaps.....
[quote][p][bold]jolllyboy[/bold] wrote: So councillors supported a lease without knowing the plans ? Do we believe that when planning permission is needed to even blow your nose .[/p][/quote]brown envelope/blind eye syndrome perhaps..... The Cater Wood Creeper

5:01pm Tue 19 Jun 12

E-Types says...

The Cater Wood Creeper wrote:
jolllyboy wrote:
So councillors supported a lease without knowing the plans ? Do we believe that when planning permission is needed to even blow your nose .
brown envelope/blind eye syndrome perhaps.....
So you accept the council is corrupt?
[quote][p][bold]The Cater Wood Creeper[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]jolllyboy[/bold] wrote: So councillors supported a lease without knowing the plans ? Do we believe that when planning permission is needed to even blow your nose .[/p][/quote]brown envelope/blind eye syndrome perhaps.....[/p][/quote]So you accept the council is corrupt? E-Types

7:44am Wed 20 Jun 12

shallotman says...

I take it the officer who waived a £6000 bill with-out authorization has been promoted.
I take it the officer who waived a £6000 bill with-out authorization has been promoted. shallotman

7:27pm Wed 20 Jun 12

fearsiuil says...

By now it must be obvious to all who didn't realise it before
that
the council and the planners in Basildon
are NOT to be trusted.

Money is no object to them when they're doling out tax-payers' money.

Yet, there are still a few misguided fools who cling to the belief
that normal folk should be beholden to these bungling wasters!
By now it must be obvious to all who didn't realise it before that the council and the planners in Basildon are NOT to be trusted. Money is no object to them when they're doling out tax-payers' money. Yet, there are still a few misguided fools who cling to the belief that normal folk should be beholden to these bungling wasters! fearsiuil

11:56am Thu 21 Jun 12

E-Types. says...

fearsiuil wrote:
By now it must be obvious to all who didn't realise it before
that
the council and the planners in Basildon
are NOT to be trusted.

Money is no object to them when they're doling out tax-payers' money.

Yet, there are still a few misguided fools who cling to the belief
that normal folk should be beholden to these bungling wasters!
Unfortunately it would seem these Bungling Burgers of Basildon would have to fleece each Basildon sheep separately before the sheep catch on.

It is often only when developers start to round up chunks of land do some of the Basildon sheep lift their heads up from chewing grass.
[quote][p][bold]fearsiuil[/bold] wrote: By now it must be obvious to all who didn't realise it before that the council and the planners in Basildon are NOT to be trusted. Money is no object to them when they're doling out tax-payers' money. Yet, there are still a few misguided fools who cling to the belief that normal folk should be beholden to these bungling wasters![/p][/quote]Unfortunately it would seem these Bungling Burgers of Basildon would have to fleece each Basildon sheep separately before the sheep catch on. It is often only when developers start to round up chunks of land do some of the Basildon sheep lift their heads up from chewing grass. E-Types.

7:36pm Thu 21 Jun 12

fearsiuil says...

" In her report, it is revealed the council lent the company running the course, Jack Barker Ltd, £60,000 to build a road to take thousands of tonnes of rubble to the site, even though it would have been illegal to import the spoil. "

-----

It seems strange that the Paper also carries reports about this council
being unable " any time soon" to clean up the awful mess they made at the scrapyard and surroundings
at Oak Lane.

Although warned beforehand by the owners of the private land, which they've totally devastated with their
hundreds of riot police
and highly-paid bailiffs and agents,
they actually churned up all the so-called "greenbelt", leaving a terrible mess of rubble and concrete and asbestos and other pollution
gathering in what could accurately be described
as lagoons of toxins
right next to the bottom of LEN's garden.

No wonder he's chatting about sueing the council!

Anybody remember when TONY was talking last year of turning this "greenbelt" into allotments etc?

What a joker!! What a chancer!
" In her report, it is revealed the council lent the company running the course, Jack Barker Ltd, £60,000 to build a road to take thousands of tonnes of rubble to the site, even though it would have been illegal to import the spoil. " ----- It seems strange that the Paper also carries reports about this council being unable " any time soon" to clean up the awful mess they made at the scrapyard and surroundings at Oak Lane. Although warned beforehand by the owners of the private land, which they've totally devastated with their hundreds of riot police and highly-paid bailiffs and agents, they actually churned up all the so-called "greenbelt", leaving a terrible mess of rubble and concrete and asbestos and other pollution gathering in what could accurately be described as lagoons of toxins right next to the bottom of LEN's garden. No wonder he's chatting about sueing the council! Anybody remember when TONY was talking last year of turning this "greenbelt" into allotments etc? What a joker!! What a chancer! fearsiuil

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