Forum Topic

Cllr Katherine Dunne and Conflicts of Interest

Cllr Katherine Dunne on Brentford TV says she has no “Conflicts of Interest".  Clearly she does not understand what Conflicts of Interest are.  It is not for her to judge herself and whether she is conflicted or not, that is for others.This defence of herself is remarkable. In her response that as she noted in her "Register of Interests" that she was a member of the London Cycling Campaign and as such it is okay for her, Cllr Guy Lambert, fellow member of London Cycling Campaign, and Cllr Hanif Khan to judge pro cycling schemes clearly demonstrates that she has no idea as to how “conflicts of interest” pertain to certain situations or manifest themselves.  Her LCC membership is a clear pecuniary interest.  She and Cllr Lambert should have excused themselves. What they have done in fact is make the situation worse and some serious questions arise:  1. How many and what schemes was she asked to approve;  2. Why were those Councillors specifically chosen; 3. What annual training on Conflicts of Interest, the Bribery Act 2010 and Corporate Gifts do Councillors receive;  4. What data and information was provided to the Councillors; 5. Did they challenge the information being presented, 6. Was the information being provided general or schemes specific, as in did it rely on the increasingly discredited Commonplace surveys.  We do not know the answers to these questions yet, but what is clear is that it is not for Cllr Katherine Dunne to answer, and given her attitude that she is above “conflicts of interest”  there now needs to be a proper investigation into the conflict of interest of not only Cllr Katherine Dunne but more widely across the Council.

David Riley ● 2189d26 Comments

As has been pointed out before this is nonsense. You need to get a dictionary and look up 'pecuniary'.Whatever you think of the London Cycling Campaign or the Hounslow Cycling Campaign they have gone about their business in a transparent and democratic way. It is perfectly in order for a local councillor to be an active member of either organisation.The council's primary aim in the schemes it is implementing at the moment is primarily financial rather than any pro-cycling dogma. Whether it is the harvesting of grants or the fining of residents they have been enabled to do this by central government policy formed by a man with more extreme anti-car views than any member of a local cycling group.

Paul Corcoran ● 2189d

Paul, I would need to disagree with you here. The Hounslow Cycling Twitter account, which bills itself as 'Hounslow branch of the London Cycling Campaign', is actively mocking opposition to the schemes in Chiswick on multiple threads. Apparently, anyone who opposes any of these measures supports High Traffic Neighbourhoods. The irony when we saw huge congestion from displaced traffic and now see the High Road gridlocked.So lets take a step back. A body in which several key decision makers are members of, is mocking those that oppose schemes that the councillors have implemented. At the same time those same councillors are running what they claim to be an impartial consultation on these schemes. Please, dont take us all for even bigger fools. Also, this is not about being anti-car, anti-cycling. It is about sensible schemes with appropriate consultation. Not crazy schemes imposed with no modelling or consultation and no clear criteria.It would be normal practice in business and I would have expected in government for people to excuse themselves from voting on things that they are closely tied to, certainly I would see membership of campaign groups as being a clear conflict. We are entitled to objective decsion makingAlso, can we drop the obsession with central govnt. It may have facilitated schemes but all the specifics are decisions taken by Hounslow.

Paul Green ● 2189d

Mocking your opponents views is part of the democratic process. Both you and I have mocked some of the more ridiculous suggestions of members of the extreme wings of pro-cycling groups. Just because these groups have gone about lobbying and spreading their message in the right way doesn't mean their message is right.I am not going to drop 'the obsession' with the role of central government in this because it is critical to a true understanding of what is going on. If the current government told Hounslow Council to build a six lane motorway down the centre of Chiswick High Road they would do it if funding was provided. The only funding they are being given at the moment is for schemes like the temporary highway. Andrew Gilligan genuinely believes that a significant transfer of road space away from motorised transport, including buses will improve things for Londoners. He has been given the authority to implement his vision by the Prime Minister who loves a simple solution to a complex problem because he doesn't like reading reports. The idea for Cycleway 9 was initiated by him when Johnson was Mayor and he wants to see it brought to completion. Yes, Hounslow is a willing accomplice but that's all they are.

Paul Corcoran ● 2189d

Paul, we are not talking about an election here. There are clear rules on conflicts of interest. You cannot on the one hand be a member of a lobby group and then be the decision maker that implements policy reflecting that lobby group. Whether that actually breaks any laws is one thing, but morally and ethically it calls into complete disrepute the actions of Hounslow. It also exposes the consultation as a complete charade, though we knew that anyway.Remember, the consultation is ongoing, and London cycling group is active in that and clearly pushing its agenda. Cllrs that are members of these organisation need to excuse themselves from any review of this.

Paul Green ● 2189d

I wonder how many councillors are members of the above. Or the RSPB, RNLI, National Trust, etc?

Ken Munn ● 2189d

Ken, I think there is a difference of degree, don't you think. If someone was a senior member of one of those organisations, and said organisation was inputting into a specific local or central government policy, on which that same person was a key decision maker, then yes I would expect them to excuse themselves. As a minimum, all such potential conflicts would need to be declared and assessed.If you took a step back, as an intelligent individual, the conflict of interest here should be abundantly clear. Regardless of where your personal beliefs lie.

Paul Green ● 2189d

Shouldn't all petrol-heads also be banned from opposing greener solutions?

Philippa Bond ● 2189d

The attempts to excuse this are farcical. The AA used to be owned by its members, it is now owned by PE and taking out breakdown cover gives one no influence at all on the policy or lobbying efforts that body may choose to make.Any more ridiculous analogies out there?

Paul Green ● 2189d

Philippa. Sorry, does taking our breakdown cover for your car make you a 'petrol head'? It certainly gives you no influence over what the AA may choose to lobby on, and it is generally less active under its new ownership. I though owning a car was still legal and acceptable?

Paul Green ● 2189d

Here's the worrying bit. According to Steve Curran these contentious traffic measures will eventually be judged through an (as yet unspecified) independent process. Yet according to Hounslow's own website's  FAQs "If officers recommend that a measure be made permanent, a report will be produced for local councillors to review, prior to a decision by the council’s cabinet/lead member." How can a process be judged independent when those carrying out the evaluation have unhesitatingly expressed their clear support for one side of the debate? What's the phrase? Ah yes - judge, jury and executioner.By the way Hanif Khan's register of interests does not include membership of any campaigning cycling organisation. Those of  councillors Lambert and Dunne do.

Bruce Hammal ● 2189d

I should have changed the heading.  You're still not forgiven for arguing with me over the pedestrian traffic in normal times flowing out of and into Turnham Green tube station.  I suspect a lot of TGT custom was from those who walked past.  Their window displays were an important advertisement.  People driving through have to concentrate on watching out for people walking across the road from one shop to another in between delivery vehicles.

Philippa Bond ● 2189d

"I thought owning a car was still legal and acceptable?"And very necessary for the economy. The petrol heads are contributing masses in taxes to fund all the greens with an infrastructure to ensure they can all draw state pensions in the future. Strange how so many don't understand the roots of the money tree.

Steve Taylor ● 2189d

If this is so,it's a bit of a rum situation wouldn't you say?

Keith Iddon ● 2189d

Hi Philippa. I think we may have been discussing at cross purpose. I fully accept in 'normal' times that it was v busy at the exit when trains arrive. My point was that now there were no crowds at all since COVID and so it was not needed to reduce traffic on TGT to help with social distancing outside the tube. Indeed the ongoing presence of E3 and taxis, vans would in any case make it impossible. As a regular user of the tube, for many peak time travellers the shops were closed when you return. So no doubt that has had some impact on trade, but this was already the case before Hounslow's closure of TGT. Traders can easily then work out what impact this had. However, the aggressive name and shame tactics of some lobbyists and Hounslow cycling group members make many scared to speak out.

Paul Green ● 2189d

No. The idea is daft. It's exactly like saying that a member of CND should be excluded from any decision to do with nuclear disarmament. You might disagree with these people but they are being completely upfront with what their views are.If this becomes a cyclist vs motorist or Tory vs Labour debate then a bad outcome is guaranteed. The tribes should be put aside and people should focus on the best solution for the area.

Mark Evans ● 2189d

Yes it is, unless of course the committee that decides how to spend taxpayer money is balanced with members of a motorists' lobby group.If not,why bother having any discussion or committee at all?.The idea that only one side is represented like this in a decision making body is not the way they should go about things.There has two be two sides represented evenly to arrive at a compromise,not a dictat like this is.

Keith Iddon ● 2189d

There are an increasing number of cars now where no VED is payable.  Although rather late in the day and after a lot of foot dragging there are now an increasing number of electric charging points in 'petrol stations' and the oil companies are investing in other technology.

Philippa Bond ● 2189d

What is the possibility  that councillors Dunne, Lambert and Khan (despite his apparent lack of overt affiliation) will vote against making these measures permanent? Indeed that they have any intention whatsoever  of listening to the "noes"? I would think there's more chance of the Pope becoming a Jehova's Witness.The alternative of course is to let "local councillors" mean just that.

Bruce Hammal ● 2189d

A petrolhead is someone who likes and is very interested in cars.What are you called if you have more than tree dogs?

Bernard Allen ● 2189d

A dogger?

Rob Reynolds ● 2189d

Surprised by those that see no conflict here. Hounslow Cycling is a relatively small member group, one of whose key objectives is clearly to influence local transport and planning decisions. It is being very vocal about its support for the measures and actively critical/ mocking of those that oppose these. Some of its members are actively naming and shaming retailers who dare to oppose some aspects. Yet at the same point Hounslow claims they are engaging with local retailers and traders. The same people whose cycling group is trying to intimidate them into silence. Sorry but this is shocking.There is no parallel with the AA, where taking out breakdown or insurance does not make you a 'member'. I am not aware when we last had a govnt minister who was a member of CND, but the only relevance would be a vote on the nuclear deterrant, something that seems to happen once a decade. This is about people who seem to be both judge and jury, ruling on the schemes that their own lobby group have put forward. Sorry, but whatever your perspective, this is not balance. There are no other representative groups with such influence, such as those representing the elderly or infirm or users of public transport.

Paul Green ● 2189d

I'm sorry to say that my email correspondence with Cllrs Khan, Lambert and Dunne has not indicated to me a great willingness to entertain the validity of opinions that differ from their own. Indeed their stance has verged on truculent and dismissive and sometimes just plain rude, not befitting the positions they hold. It's all very well constantly falling back on the mantra that the measures are only temporary and subject to review; that's of no value at all while the fairness of the evaluation process is in such doubt. I would also welcome some disclosure about finances. Have sufficient funds from the government allocation been held back to cover reinstatement costs in the event that some or even all of the measures are rejected for long-term adoption? If not then what's the plan? Again there is the suspicion that we aren't on a level playing field here.

Bruce Hammal ● 2189d

"What are you called if you have more than tree dogs?"Barking ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2189d

😂

Bernard Allen ● 2189d

PaulOf course there's  a Conflict of Interest, it would be like me acting for both the Vendor and Purchaser on an industrial property transaction, highly unethical !Katherine Dunne or any other Hounslow Councillor as a member(s) of LCC/HCC cannot be impartial, they have a vested interest in promoting cycling and that has been fully demonstrated by their recent actions, they should have recused themselves from the decision making process.Just as an aside at 6.40am this morning, and it was still quite dark, I was walking the dogs along Heathfield Terrace and I saw 2 cyclists heading east, both had dark clothing and worryingly absolutely no lights front or back on their bikes, even more worrying was that that the cyclist on the outside was Karen Liebreich - one would have thought she would be setting an example of good and safe cycling practice ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2189d

I'd love to own a tree dog. Do they have tails that can grip branches so they can chase squirrels?

Claire Moran ● 2189d