Writing to Councillors for assistance over misconduct in public office charge

 Dear Councillors


 

On the 26th October I sent a video message to Cllr Rai asking him to overrule his monitoring officer and say whether an investigation has taken place into Jas Athwal MP not having a landlord licence and the substandard condition of the flats mentioned in a recent BBC new article. Cllr Rai has ignored my request.

 

There maybe grounds for misconduct in public office case for officers refusing to investigate Cllr Athwal, but before going to the police it must be right to make every effort to persuade the Council to order an investigation.


A draft of a 1500 signature petition to the Council calling upon them to investigate Cllr Athwal is below:
 

"We the undersigned who live or work in Redbridge call on the Council to investigate Jas Athwal MP for not holding a landlord licence along with his managing agent. We also call for the investigation to consider the substandard state of Jas Athwal's flats and his refusal to let to DSS tenants."


If any elected representatives across the political were to sign such a petition it would put pressure on the council to do the right thing.


Secondly, if elected representatives and others were to use the environmental regulations act to seek information about why an investigation had not taken place into it would also put pressure on the council to act.


Redbridge is currently refusing to disclose the addresses of Cllr Athwal properties: Redbridge is also refusing to disclose emails sent to Cllr Athwal by Redbridge Council about his rental properties. I am appealing against this decision at my what to they know page. The refusal of Redbridge to disclose this information suggests they will refuse to disclose information relating to why an investigation and prosecution has not taken place into Cllr Athwal and his managing agent. Hence the need the for a broad spectrum of opinion to seek information about the investigation.


Environmental regulations are slightly different to freedom of information regulations in that costs can be capped at court. I know from personal experience how valuable this cap is when I took the Council to Court over the Tesco Toxic Towers.


 

Regards


 

Andy Walker

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