Ferret readers will recall that in December 2021 a mediation settlement was agreed to finally settle the dispute between Independent Hemsworth Town Council and Saul Construction Limited to complete the sale of the former Sports Complex on Kirby road in Hemsworth.
Independent Hemsworth Town Council had taken it upon themselves to try and rescind the deal upon taking office in May 2019, which led to a legal bill of approximately £200000 for our community.
The money they spent had not been planned or budgeted for. The money should have been spent in other areas of our community. This is becoming more and more apparent by the day when looking at the delipidated state of our facilities and Independent Hemsworth Town Councils’ inability to authorise works due to having little to no money left. Not only have they spent all of the precept money – They have also nearly spent the half a million pounds “reserves” which were left by the previous Labour led Hemsworth Town Council.
As we now know, it ended in a humiliating defeat for Independent Hemsworth Town Council and in particular Jim Kenyon and Ian Womersley who had been the leading figures in this foolhardy attempt to rewrite history.
To use Ian Womersley’s words, “a dual” they fought apparently with empty pistols and brains.
Legal advice from “Queens Counsel Level” had been obtained in 2016, by the previous Labour led Hemsworth Town Council. Legal advice which had already been paid for, Legal advice which foresaw the eventual outcome – who would have thought it?
To make matters even worse, Jim Kenyon, Ian Womersley and their Independent “cabal” chose to ignore this.
Ferret recently highlighted another payment had been made by Independent Hemsworth Town Council to Jim Kenyon’s preferred legal advisors, Richard Buxton.
And now Ferret can reveal the reason why…
As part of the legally agreed humiliating defeat agreed by Jim Kenyon in December 2021, Independent Hemsworth Town Council had to agree to sign away any rights to the Section 106 money of £350000 which was the sum of money negotiated by the previous Labour led Hemsworth Town Council. Money which was to be used within our Community – Money which was ringfenced for us – Money which could NOT be taken away and spent anywhere else other than Hemsworth, Kinsley and Fitzwilliam.
£50000 had already been received in advance from Saul Construction Limited and was used in 2016 to upgrade the football facilities in Cemetery road.
Ferret warned at the time that this new agreement could result in the loss of the £300000 as yet unpaid.
Even worse Ferret foresaw (no not mystic Jean) that it could even lead to having to repay the £50000 advance payment already used.
Well it seems that Jim Kenyon, without Hemsworth Town Council authorisation had once again engaged Richard Buxton solicitors once again.
Why had he done this?
It seems that once again Jim Kenyon and a handful of cronies, have already forgotten the legal agreement that was made in December 2021. They have resurrected already disproven allegations about the site in letters to the planning department at Wakefield Council.
This obviously potentially increases costs associated with the redevelopment of the site additional to the huge costs that have arisen over many years, directly attributable to delays caused the many futile legal attempts by Kenyon, to stop the project.
To cut a very long story short, Jim Kenyon “the expert” has done it again. It now looks like the remaining Section 106 money of £300000 has been lost and it could even include the £50000 having to be repaid.
£350000 lost due to inept, underhanded dealings of the disgraced, proven liar Jim Kenyon.
£350000 lost at a time when our Community needs money more than ever before.
The letters here are from Saul Construction Limited to the planning department at Wakefield Council. They cover all of the areas of concern and are worth a read.
Of course, according to Jim and his Independent Cabal, it was all Saul Constructions and the “last Labour lot’s” fault once again.
Ferret cannot understand why in 2022, months after the deal was finalised, that Independent Hemsworth Town Council, now led by multi-millionaire Jean Eccles would spend more of our money on legal advice over this issue?
Section 106 agreements are legally agreed and negotiated between the landowner, the developer and Wakefield Council.
Who signed the right away to be a party in the negotiations?
Independent Hemsworth Town Council last December when they completed the sale of the land to Saul Construction Limited.
This was the main reason and Jim Kenyon was told publicly on several occasions, why the last Labour led Hemsworth Town Council did not pursue completion of the deal until the Section 106 was fully paid and it would only become due when building work started.
Additionally, it would appear that Saul Construction Limited were expecting Jim Kenyon to continue his disruptive tactics and asked him to sign a second document foregoing any claim to the Section 106 money.
Independent Hemsworth Town Council should not be spending anymore of our money on legal fees or pursuing any legal actions over the Section 106, as they gave up that right on the completion of the sale.
Also, Jim Kenyon has no authority to engage any solicitors on behalf of this Council or Community and should be told by Hemsworth town Council that he pays that bill himself.
A Dream World For Them, A Very Expensive £350,000 Nightmare For Us…
It is unbelievable that this man is still at it, still going ahead on his own! Who can make him stop, how can he be stopped? If he has got solicitors without the backing of the council that should be a private matter and he should pay the bill.
Irate resident you are totally right. Kenyon should pay not us
This now must be stopped surely the correct authorities should be brought into investigate,no wonder it was on agenda in exclusion of press at Wednesdays finance meeting.Who is authorising these payments to solicitors,who is spending even more costly fees out of the community’s reserve funds,and more importantly which of the councillors knew what was happening the community have a right to know and not be in exclusion meetings.The total wastage of the community’s funds that could serve and help so many in our community through these horrendous times is shocking and the HTC Independant councillors should be brought to task .This community deserves better and we need to get behind the hard working councillors who are working hard to bring in the changes and support them at meetings,voice your concerns,email the Town clerk ,and remember changes can be for all the community ,use your voices and use your votes we do have a say in making change .work together as a community make a difference.
Just when you thought things were quietening down the awkward squad drags themselves out of the grave screaming more more give me more. One thing is clear from their conduct during their tenure of office is that they’ve no care or concerns for this community their only undying concerns is to indulge their fantasies of Endless litigation at our expense and some in elevated positions made matters worse by entertaining them and encouraging them and really they ought not to have done. I spoke with and old councillor who knew all these back in the day and he told me they were nothing more than a rabble of persistent disruptors and trouble makers who over the years have cost this parish thousands upon thousands with their fake complaints about anything and everything endless complaints about the accounts all having to be resubmitted back to the district auditor at great expense only to be returned with a clean bill of health. Grumbling and complaining over trivial and non existent matters made worse by their entourage of like minded followers insisting that there was some ungodly conspiracy between HTC WMDC Saul the planning department the Inland revenue the district auditor and anyone who happened not to share their twisted deranged outlook on life. The sooner these are gone the better for all or they’ll bankrupt us