Forum Topic

What does May Gurney say about all this?

If the Ealing contract was a profitable contract for May Gurney, I wonder how far they went to keep it?  Perhaps, Enterprise could undercut May Gurney by slashing costs such as man power, hours worked, # of vehicles.   Perhaps, it's time to make an enquiry with May Gurney.  After all, they recently picked up a very good contract with Bristol City which they claim will save Bristol £2.5m.  So why not Ealing?

Charles Campbell ● 5115d17 Comments

Re  everyone else to be very careful in what they write.              xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx      Interesting, anything or anyone in particular in mind?

Tony Price ● 5104d

Dear Mr SearsI'm sorry that my posting of 05/04/2012 gave the impression that there was something underhand in the awarding of the contract to ECT. I accpet that this was not the case and that you did not exert any influence on the process. Sorry for any upset that this has caused you

Colm Costello ● 5104d

A public enquiry - that would help :), look forward to paying the bill for that too.

James Brown ● 5104d

Threats like that smack of someone who has something to hide.Did not take much to sell ECT. Considering the principles it was founded on.

Michael Brandt ● 5104d

Mr SearsYou may wish to look at Cllr Phil Taylor's blog piece on this from 2006. It is an old blog piece and you may have already dealt with it but it is clear that Cllr Costello is not acting alone. http://philtaylor.org.uk/2006/07/clean-and-green-has-a-way-to-go/#comments

Bob Roberts ● 5104d

Cllr Costello implies through his clearly libellous statement that there was something underhand in the award of the previous environmental services contract to ECT Recycling, later sold to May Gurney.  This is dishonest of him as he knows full well that the process was  investigated by PWC at the instigation of the new Council Chief Executive in 2006.  They concluded that the award of the contract was entirely proper and that I exerted no influence on the process - to have done so would have been a criminal offence.  I expect an apology from Cllr Costello and for everyone else to be very careful in what they write.

Stephen Sears ● 5104d

There is masses of lobbying going on all over the place.  It is ridiculous to think that there isn't.  It just comes in different guises.Just look at that recent newspper expose of the offer of lunch with Mr and Mrs Cameron for a cheque for the Conservative Party.

Philippa Bond ● 5114d

Mr RobertsDo you represent Mr Sears. I am happy to supply the following correction■The procurement process started January 2003. ■At that time ECT already had a £1m pa contract with the council. ■Former Cllr Sears remained a Cabinet member throughout the procurement process and only resigned from the Cabinet 2 weeks after tenders were submitted on 31st October 2004. ■Former Cllr Sears remained a councillor from the start of the contract on 1st March 2005 until 4th May 2006. FormerCllr Sears could have resigned from the Cabinet at the moment it became clear that ECT was to take part in the process. He didn'tHe could have resigned from the council as soon as they won the contract. He didn't

Colm Costello ● 5114d

Re  Sounds like there should be a Public Enquiry        xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx    totally agree and into all aspects , especially the possibilty of interference and influence being made by  " political " activists for matters which are no concern of the residents of Ealing, ie anti Zionist/Jewish activists. Who are these people, where are they, how did they get into Ealing Council employ, who took them on, and are they still there. This sort of meddling in OUR affairs must be nipped in the bud and transparency required. Next thing will anti Christian behaviour?

Tony Price ● 5114d

Sounds like there should be a Public Enquiry

Simon Bell ● 5115d

That does not answer the question. Was Cllr Sears in the cabinet when the tenders were invited? Was he a councillor when the tenders were invited and placed.? Did he have access to those who awarded the tender? Did he have access to the criteria of the tender?ECT lost money on a railway venture but sold it's operations for a lot of money that went to it's shareholdings. It's a common practice for contract winners to sell out when they bite off more than they can chew or find they cannot make as much money as planned.EDF sold it's lighting contract to Scottish and Southern but at least it is well overseenBus companies sell out all the time, Small ones sell out for big money and big ones sell out for strategic rewards elsewhere.Things would be a lot better if there was less secrecy around the whole tendering process and jst who is involved in what.It's as bad in planning and not just in Ealing, we are waiting to find out why certain hounslow councillors have links with small property developers who always get first dibs on any desirable small plots that councillors make available . The levels of secrecy are astonishing probably for good reason. We shall see.It's probably the same in every council.

Michael Brandt ● 5115d

Because Steve Seers took a £100,000 salary not to mention other benefits probably not reportable.

Charles Campbell ● 5115d

More interestingly, I wonder how Veolia feels about being ousted from the grounds maintenance portion of the Ealing contract and being precluded from further consideration internally for both the refuse and grounds maintence due to anti-Zionist Palestinian acitivists working behind the scenes at Ealing Council (so the activists say and imply)?

Johann Dutch ● 5115d

Bob is right. Cllr Costello is lying. Cllr Sears resigned from cabinet before ECT took over the contract. http://nnet-server.com/server/common/conwlts31.htm Cllr Costello's claims about the savings are also laughable. If the contract made so much money for ECT (a social enterprise aka not-for-profit) why did it go bust and have to be bought out by May Gurney?

Jamie Smith ● 5115d

Tower Hamlets have contractors called Mouchel Enterprise.Is this what was Mouchel Parkman who used to hold Ealing contracts?ECT was the contract holder at one time, so who was the CEO? And does it matter whether you are in a cabinet or not? If you are involved in any council position you have an interest.What's the position here?The only common thread is Mouchel, Violia, Parkman, Laing, Enterprise et all all seem to walk away with huge profits for executives.All that really matters is that the services provided are 1st class at all timesbut has that ever happened?

Michael Brandt ● 5115d

This is a lie. Cllr Seers was not in the cabinet when the contract was awarded as you well know.  Retract this now Cllr Costello or the lawyers will be called in.

Bob Roberts ● 5115d

CharlesThe savings that Labour will achieve through the new contract look spectacular, and may leave people thinking that Enterpise are being paid peanuts to do the job, so their performance will reflect that. The reality is quiet different. The savings were achieved because the last time the contract was awarded, it was awarded by Labour to ECT, whose chief executive was a member of the Labour cabinet who awarded his company the contract. As they say in the USA, you do the maths

Colm Costello ● 5115d