I cannot comment on the latest Nicholas Evans post, as I haven’t read it, however I would like to comment generally on the WPCC.Early in 2018, there will be elections for the five trustee positions who are elected by residents who are on the electoral role within the levy paying area. In 2015 I was elected as a trustee for one of the five places. I was elected on a mandate of bringing higher standards of governance to the charity, I said at the time;“Having lived in Putney for over 30 years I took Putney and Wimbledon Commons, protected by an Act of Parliament, for granted. I knew the Conservators, claiming to be politically independent, were obliged to resist encroachment by local authorities, to keep the commons natural and undeveloped. To manage responsibly, to be relied upon. I believed, as a matter of automatic right, that the commons were in safe hands. Today I realise that is not the case and I was wrong to be complacent. Both Putney Common and Wimbledon Common are diminished because they have not been defended by the Conservators appointed to protect them. Putney Common will be urbanised, part of Wimbledon Common is permanently lost to a private golf club’s car park. Concerns have now emerged of poor governance, breaches of charity law, the imprecise collection of levies, transparency; all are unacceptable. Further threats will emerge from development and unforeseen challenges for the trustees. The Conservators must protect the commons and manage the Charity in line with best practice and the law. The commons should remain natural, undeveloped and unencroached, and must not be taken for granted. My message is unambiguous; please take care to elect Conservators you can trust.”In December 2016 I was kicked out by the board, who spent £60,000 of charity funds on a vexatious and untruthful complaint to the Charity Commission, in the expectation that I would be disqualified as a trustee. The Commission have not disqualified me as a trustee. I have not been allowed to participate as a trustee since. This is unlawful. Today the Charity Commission have stated that their investigations into misconduct and mismanagement by the charity are continuing, as is the investigation by the Commission appointed Interim Manager. The current trustees are an utter disgrace, and they and management will actively campaign against me to ensure that I am not elected in the 2018 elections. My message to SW19 residents for the coming elections is unchanged. If you genuinely care about the protecting the commons and good governance, please consider carefully who you vote for. Complacency, poor management and cronyism have led to the issues which blight the WPCC today. The accounts for the past two years have just been restated today, slipped out just befor Christmas. When I queried the accounts before the 2017 AGM I was ignored by the board and then ‘warned off’ by the auditors, who have now been sacked. Auditors who failed miserabley to fulfill their independent audit role. The WPCC must have independently minded trustees who are prepared to act ONLY in the interest of the charity to ensure the WPCC’s and commons future.I would be pleased to answer any questions which SW19 residents may have, either through this website or by email.
John Cameron ● 2340d