Residents of Queen Caroline estate fighting to save their homes from H&F Tory council's redevelopment plans have attacked Hammersmith Tory candidate Shaun Bailey for not supporting their plea for a vote on the issue: http://handsoffqc.blogspot.com/
Why is Shaun Bailey opposed to giving local people the chance to vote on the future of their homes?
25 April 2010
22 April 2010
New questions about Bailey's charity accounts
Further scrutiny of the published accounts of My Generation - the charity run by Hammersmith Tory candidate Shaun Bailey (see blogs below) - has revealed new questions about how its funds have been spent.
Not only was almost £16,000 unaccounted for in 2008-9, but the charity has spent unusually large amounts on publicity and travel and administration over the last three years. Full details at: http://politicalscrapbook.net/2010/04/shameful-accounts-of-tory-candidates-charity/
While it's clear that Shaun Bailey has used My Generation as a PR vehicle for himself, what has still not been revealed is who has funded the charity.
Not only was almost £16,000 unaccounted for in 2008-9, but the charity has spent unusually large amounts on publicity and travel and administration over the last three years. Full details at: http://politicalscrapbook.net/2010/04/shameful-accounts-of-tory-candidates-charity/
While it's clear that Shaun Bailey has used My Generation as a PR vehicle for himself, what has still not been revealed is who has funded the charity.
21 April 2010
Strange timing part two
Another press release today by Tory H&F council just two weeks before the elections: this time about extra money to expand popular primary schools.
Making big spending announcements in the immediate lead up to the election surely contravenes council publicity laws. It's made worse by the fact that the Tory council is covering up its tracks, having failed to predict and meet the increase in demand for primary school places. No wonder local parents are cynical about Tory education policies.
Making big spending announcements in the immediate lead up to the election surely contravenes council publicity laws. It's made worse by the fact that the Tory council is covering up its tracks, having failed to predict and meet the increase in demand for primary school places. No wonder local parents are cynical about Tory education policies.
Residents treated to free tickets for polo
Tory H&F council has just announced a special offer to borough residents of 2,012 free tickets to June's polo tournament in Hurlingham Park. It's strange that such an offer is made a couple of weeks before the council elections...but 2,012 free tickets could please plenty of people in Fulham.
Bailey's answers raise more £16k questions
After Shaun Bailey's 'panic' statement to The Times about the £16k unaccounted spending by the My Generation charity where he is chief executive (see blogs below), he has been more careful preparing comments to other media. But these latest responses have raised more questions.
Bailey told Civil Society: "My Generation is a small charity that has experienced rapid growth. At that time we had a full-time staff of only two people responsible for all of the charity's projects and administration. Like many small charities and voluntary organisations, it took us some time to develop the administrative processes."
But the accounts in question are for the third full year that the charity has operated - 2008-9. Three years should be more than long enough to sort these things out, particularly for someone who aspires to be an MP. Surely the charity's chief executive should have dealt with this 'bad administration'?
In a statement to Third Sector, Bailey said the trustees of My Generation believed the discrepancy arose because the charity changed accountants and it appeared that the old accountants did not pass all the invoices on to the new accountants. "As soon as the paper trail is clarified, the complete 2008/9 accounts will be re-submitted so that everything is clear. The charity's accountants are waiting to see what information can be recovered and then will provide an explanation to the Charity Commission."
The question for Bailey is: why did the independent accountants not highlight this in their comments in the 2008-9 accounts? And why did it take so long to come up with this reason?
No doubt there will be plenty of other questions from the Charity Commission when they examine the 2008-9 accounts in detail. Such as what was the £16k spent on? And who funds My Generation?
Bailey told Civil Society: "My Generation is a small charity that has experienced rapid growth. At that time we had a full-time staff of only two people responsible for all of the charity's projects and administration. Like many small charities and voluntary organisations, it took us some time to develop the administrative processes."
But the accounts in question are for the third full year that the charity has operated - 2008-9. Three years should be more than long enough to sort these things out, particularly for someone who aspires to be an MP. Surely the charity's chief executive should have dealt with this 'bad administration'?
In a statement to Third Sector, Bailey said the trustees of My Generation believed the discrepancy arose because the charity changed accountants and it appeared that the old accountants did not pass all the invoices on to the new accountants. "As soon as the paper trail is clarified, the complete 2008/9 accounts will be re-submitted so that everything is clear. The charity's accountants are waiting to see what information can be recovered and then will provide an explanation to the Charity Commission."
The question for Bailey is: why did the independent accountants not highlight this in their comments in the 2008-9 accounts? And why did it take so long to come up with this reason?
No doubt there will be plenty of other questions from the Charity Commission when they examine the 2008-9 accounts in detail. Such as what was the £16k spent on? And who funds My Generation?
17 April 2010
Is Bailey fit to be an MP?
An extraordinary defence by Shaun Bailey of his charity's unaccounted for expenses (see blog below) in today's Times:
Mr Bailey told The Times yesterday that the charity had been unprepared to deal with its rapidly growing budget. “We had a little panic, we have the stuff,” he said. “What you are dealing with is a kid from the estate who had a good idea to do this and never had a wider view of accountants and lawyers. We have raised this money, spent it on the kids. We just didn’t know.”
Where has the £16k gone, Shaun?
Mr Bailey told The Times yesterday that the charity had been unprepared to deal with its rapidly growing budget. “We had a little panic, we have the stuff,” he said. “What you are dealing with is a kid from the estate who had a good idea to do this and never had a wider view of accountants and lawyers. We have raised this money, spent it on the kids. We just didn’t know.”
Where has the £16k gone, Shaun?
Growing mystery over Bailey charity expenses - £16k unaccounted for
Just weeks before Shaun Bailey stands as the Conservative candidate for Hammersmith, big questions have been raised about the charity he has been running since 2006, according to The Times today http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7100347.ece.
The most recently filed accounts for My Generation, where Bailey is chief executive, show that independent examiners qualified My Generation’s accounts for 2008-9 because they failed to meet charity and company accounting laws.
In particular they highlighted the fact that £15,952 of My Generation's expenses were made without any supporting records or receipts. About 8% of the charity’s total spending was therefore unaccounted for.
In addition almost half of My Generation’s spending in 2008-9 was on publicity and administration and was not ‘direct charitable expenditure’. Of the £116,000 charitable expenditure, over half was spent on travel and subsistence.
My Generation was established in early 2006 shortly before Bailey was selected to stand in Hammersmith by the Conservative Party.
The charity’s accounts for 2006-7 and 2007-8 were filed late with the Charity Commission. Now big questions have been put to the Commission about My Generation’s accounts for 2008-9.
The most recently filed accounts for My Generation, where Bailey is chief executive, show that independent examiners qualified My Generation’s accounts for 2008-9 because they failed to meet charity and company accounting laws.
In particular they highlighted the fact that £15,952 of My Generation's expenses were made without any supporting records or receipts. About 8% of the charity’s total spending was therefore unaccounted for.
In addition almost half of My Generation’s spending in 2008-9 was on publicity and administration and was not ‘direct charitable expenditure’. Of the £116,000 charitable expenditure, over half was spent on travel and subsistence.
My Generation was established in early 2006 shortly before Bailey was selected to stand in Hammersmith by the Conservative Party.
The charity’s accounts for 2006-7 and 2007-8 were filed late with the Charity Commission. Now big questions have been put to the Commission about My Generation’s accounts for 2008-9.
07 April 2010
They seek him here...
Where is Shaun Bailey? Not seen handing out his own leaflets in Shepherds Bush yesterday or today. And tonight he refused to take part in a cross-party debate on Palestine with other Hammersmith parliamentary candidates. What has Shaun got to hide?
05 April 2010
For a different take on H&F news...
Have a look at Rupert Bear's latest productions on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=rupertbear21#g/u
More questions for Shaun Bailey
If you see Shaun Bailey, why don't you ask him:
1. Where were you born?
2. Where have you lived and where do you live now?
3. Where did you go to school?
4. What did you do at college?
5. What have you done for a living?
6. What links do you have with the Hammersmith constituency?
7. Who is funding you?
8. How much have you spent on your campaign?
9. Who does your promotion?
10. Why don’t you speak out on the Tory council's record locally?
More questions and some answers to follow shortly.
1. Where were you born?
2. Where have you lived and where do you live now?
3. Where did you go to school?
4. What did you do at college?
5. What have you done for a living?
6. What links do you have with the Hammersmith constituency?
7. Who is funding you?
8. How much have you spent on your campaign?
9. Who does your promotion?
10. Why don’t you speak out on the Tory council's record locally?
More questions and some answers to follow shortly.
Bristow set to return to chicken run
Following the news that Labour has selected an excellent local candidate for the parliamentary seat of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland to fight Tory H&F councillor Paul Bristow, all eyes are on Bristow's return to London.
Strangely Bristow doesn't mention that he's a H&F councillor on his Middlesbrough website, let alone the facts that he lives in H&F and gets paid for doing two jobs in the borough.
Bristow has also done the chicken run from his current ward, Fulham Reach, to stand in Ravenscourt Park on 6 May, presumably to protect his position on the council. The question remains about what he does as cabinet member for residents' services in H&F, apart from organising polo tournaments and standing in Middlesbrough.
Strangely Bristow doesn't mention that he's a H&F councillor on his Middlesbrough website, let alone the facts that he lives in H&F and gets paid for doing two jobs in the borough.
Bristow has also done the chicken run from his current ward, Fulham Reach, to stand in Ravenscourt Park on 6 May, presumably to protect his position on the council. The question remains about what he does as cabinet member for residents' services in H&F, apart from organising polo tournaments and standing in Middlesbrough.
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