|
|
 |
| |
TOP LAWYER KEEPS LID ON SECRET FILE
Town Hall bans information leaks on controversial portfolio sell-off
ISLINGTON’S top lawyer has banned the publication of information about the methods used by a private developer to price up 223 under-threat properties.
Traders who rent the buildings have tried to find out about the valuation process by using the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).
But the council, advised by legal chief Louise Round, has refused to divulge any details, calling them “commercially sensitive” and last night (Thursday) would not make any official comment.
A senior opposition Labour councillor said the council’s lack of transparency had the “aura of maladministration”.
The buildings, mainly businesses, are being sold off by the ruling Liberal Democrats to raise around £45 million to fund the construction of new homes and schools.
It has signed up Structadene developers, based in White Lion Street, Angel, to value the properties. The tenants have the chance to buy the freeholds of their buildings, presently rented from the council, with Structadene snapping up any in the portfolio that are left over.
Labour councillor Paul Convery, who chairs an influential scrutiny committee, said: “We’re pretty certain they did not value individual properties…
“There is an aura of maladministration over the whole thing and the council has been phenomenally secretive.”
Many traders want to buy their properties but are struggling to find hundreds of thousands of pounds.
One high-profile under-threat shopping area is historic Amwell Street in Clerkenwell.
Dale Barter, who owns the street’s vet’s practice, asked for details of how the properties were valued via an FOI request by his solicitors last month.
He said he wanted to check the valuation process is “transparent” so traders can be sure they are getting a fair deal.
Mr Barter argued there were inconsistencies because his three-storey property has been given a £577,500 price tag when an identical unit across the road – but with an extra storey – costs the same.
At the same time, the estimate Mr Barter’s bank put on his property is £27,500 less than the Structadene valuation.
The vet asked his solicitors, Irwin Mitchell, to make the FOI request “to make the system fairer and more transparent for all”.
Irwin Mitchell argued in their application to the council that it was “simply unreasonable” to impose a value on a property and expect each tenant to accept that price.
But the council’s response stated: “The information in those documents is commercially sensitive”.
Borough solicitor Ms Round also claims it would take “in excess of 18 hours” for Town Hall officers to dig up the valuation details.
Mr Barter said: “The Freedom of Information Act is being used by the council to manipulate the facts for commercial and political ends. All we asked is for them to be open from the beginning.”
Islington Council would not comment on any of the questions put by the Tribune.
Last night (Thursday), Structadene refused to comment on how it calculated the figures.
Director Daniel Parnes said: “I can’t comment on anything about the valuation process at the moment.”
When asked about why Structadene did not make the valuation methods transparent, he added: “I find your line of questioning vindictive.” |
 |
|
| |
| Your Comments: |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
