Death of a 'people's champion'

Kieran Quinn - Executive Leader of Tameside Council

Tameside Council leader dies suddenly aged 57

EULOGIES have been pouring in following the sudden and tragic death last month, of Kieran Quinn, the Executive Leader of Tameside Council, at the age of 57.  Following a fall precipitated by a heart attack on Saturday, 23 December 2017, councillor Quinn died on Christmas Day in Tameside Hospital.

In glowing tributes from mainly fellow Labour cronies, the former postman and Roman Catholic, from Droylsden, was hailed as the 'ultimate politician', 'unique', 'a great man', 'a visionary', 'a people's champion', and a 'good socialist and proud trade unionist'.   In the first election for the leader of the Labour Party, council Quinn, supported Yvette Cooper MP.

'Proudly pro-business', councillor Quinn, had been the Executive Leader of the council since 2010 having succeeded former Labour leader, Roy Oldham, an Ashton-under-Lyne Freemason, from Longdendale. He had also been a councillor for Droylsden East since 1994. As well as being the Executive Leader of the council, he was also the Chairman of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) and a chief advocate of devolution for Greater Manchester.  He also championed the extension of the Metrolink to Ashton but later on felt that the tram was 'chronically' underused.  He once advised potential tram users travelling from Ashton to Oldham, to take a packed lunch with them because the journey took so long and they would have to make a day of it.  As the former head of housing for Tameside Council, he also played a key role in the privatization of all council housing and the large-scale transfer of housing to New Charter Housing Trust.  He subsequently took up a paid position on the Board of that company.

Although a former trade union official of the  Communication Workers Union (CWU), and a so-called 'proud trade unionist', councillor Quinn came under fire for his close links with the construction giant, Carillion who are a partner of Tameside Council.  In May 2016, Carillion were one of a group of major construction companies (the Macfarlanes Defendants) who admitted and apologised in the High Court in London, to blacklisting union construction workers.  A multi-million pound compensation settlement was shared between 771 workers when the companies including Carillion, admitted to breach of confidence, misuse of private information, defamation, conspiracy, and breach of the Data Protection Act 1998.

In 2011, local trades unionists from Tameside Trades Union Council, wrote on two occasions to councillor Quinn about Carillion and blacklisting and held protests in the area. Despite press coverage, neither Quinn or Tameside Council, ever answered questions or responded to the concerns of the trade unionists.  Two years later, in January 2013, councillor Quinn, as chairman of the GMPF, approved the appointment of Carillion to build the One St Peter's Square project and told the press:

'Experience, reputation, and the ability to deliver were of paramount importance as we are committed to ensuring that this is a very high quality scheme and that it is completed in the projected time frame.'

Only a fortnight before his death, the people's champion, in a letter to a Dukinfield resident, Steve Fisher, told him that while he was sorry to hear about the extreme financial hardship that he was suffering caused by his Council Tax Support Scheme (CTSS) - which presumed that he received an income he did not receive, and awarded him no council tax support - this was all the fault of the Government's who'd decided to reduce expenditure for the CTSS.  Mr. Fisher - who is self-employed - denies this is the case and that his financial difficulties are entirely caused by a political decision by Tameside Council, to incorporate Universal Credit legislation into their CTSS which was entirely voluntary and unnecessary.  Perversely, when Mr Fisher applies for Housing Benefit from the same council, he receives a full award on the basis that he receives a low income.  Bailiffs acting for Tameside Council, are now threatening to seize Mr Fisher's possessions, in lieu of council tax arrears.

Unlike Steve Fisher, councillor Quinn and his wife Sue, who is also a Tameside Councillor, were unaccustomed to financial hardship as they were raking it in from their numerous political appointments as Tameside Labour councillors.  With his sudden and unexpected demise, the family are likely to see a significant reduction in the family household income. 

******

Rotten Boroughs: Censoring News in Tameside?

We recently drew attention to the difficulty that some people were having in getting their letters published in Tameside's only weekly newspaper, the Tameside Reporter & Chroncile, that is owned by the registered social landlord New Charter Housing Trust, via 'Quest Media Network Ltd'. The CEO of New Charter Housing, Ian Hamilton Munro, is a Director of 'Quest' and was a Director, when it went under the name of 'Piccolo Communications Ltd', which had the same registered address as New Charter. The Trust, has very close links with the Labour controlled council in Tameside and also owns and controls Tameside Radio. 

There is evidence, that Tameside Council have been involved in censoring the local news.  In Autumn 2008, 'Private Eye', revealed that agents acting on behalf the council, had been holding regular meetings with local newspaper editors to suppress news stories.

The following (insert) was written for the document 'Guidance for local authorities on community cohesion contingency planning and tension monitoring' by the then Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in May 2008, and was written and signed-off, by the then assistant chief executive of the council, Steven Pleasant.

We are publishing below, in full, a letter that was sent to the newspaper from the trade union body, Tameside Trades Union Council, in August 2016, which wasn't published. We would be interested to hear from anyone who has experienced similar problems in getting letters published in this newspaper, as we are investigating what could amount to a potential conflict of interest and duty and are considering making a complaint to the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).


14th August 2016

The Editor,
Tameside Reporter,
Cavendish Mill,
Ashton-under-Lyne.

Dear Sir,

In last weeks Tameside Reporter, you reported upon the weekly protest that is taking place outside Ashton Jobcentre, which has just completed its second year.

We would wish to point out that this protest, which began in August 2014, was launched to highlight how benefit sanctions are being used in what many consider to be an unfair and unjust way by Jobcentre staff. We know from speaking to many claimants who use Ashton Jobcentre that people have been sanctioned for the most petty and trivial of reasons:

For example, a young jobseeker was told by Ashton Jobcentre that he would lose his benefits if he continued to protest with us, outside Ashton Jobcentre. Another was sanctioned for three months, when he arrived 2 minutes late for an interview, and a man was given a 3-month benefit sanction, by Ashton Jobcentre, for making a spelling mistake.

A nineteen-year-old lad from Ashton, recently told us that he'd been sanctioned for one-month, because he'd applied for too many jobs and hadn't received enough interviews. As a result, this young man lost his home and finished up on the streets.

In the case of Tameside Trades Council delegate, Charlotte Hughes, her 19-year-old daughter, had her benefit stopped by Ashton Jobcentre when she told a prospective employer - who was offering her an unpaid work placement - that she was 23-weeks pregnant. This case was the catalyst that led to this weekly protest outside Ashton Jobcentre.

Although the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP), claim that they are making work pay, some 40% of Jobcentre workers, according to their own trade union the PCS, qualify for the state benefit Universal Credit, because they are "fantastically low paid." Some Jobcentre staff that are in receipt of Universal Credit, are now signing-on, and are facing possible benefit sanctions, because of the requirement to satisfy "in-work conditionality" which is currently being piloted at Ashton Jobcentre as part of the roll-out of Universal Credit.

The Government deny that Jobcentre staff set people up for sanctioning or have national targets for sanctions. But this is refuted by the PCS union that represents Jobcentre workers. They say that staff come under pressure to sanction jobseekers or face disciplinary action. Alan Davis, a former Jobcentre worker from Leicester, told a recent Channel 4 'Dispatches Programme', broadcast on 2nd March 2015 -

"The pressure was enormous. I just felt what they were asking me to do, was totally wrong - they were asking me to 'hammer people' who in their own way were doing their best to get a job."

Yours faithfully
Brian Bamford,
Secretary Tameside TUC

Where's the free press in Tameside? What has happened to democracy?

Hail the Leader

A number of people have told us of their difficulty in getting letters published in the local newspaper, the Tameside Reporter & Chronicle. In September 2012, we revealed in an exclusive report that New Charter Housing Trust had bought the newspaper. Given New Charter's very close links with Tameside Council, we asked if this wasn't a sad day for democracy. At the time of the takeover, the Manchester Branch of the National Union of Journalists(NUJ), suggested that New Charter had acted as a 'proxy' for Tameside Council in buying the Reporter. Another commentator predicted that we would see "Lashings of corporate agenda and the banning of dissenting voices."

Many of the senior managers at New Charter Housing Trust, including Ian Munro, Group Chief Executive, were former Tameside Council employees. Similarly, a number of Tameside Councillor's are on the Boards of New Charter including 'proudly pro-business', Kieran Quinn, the Labour leader of the council. The housing trust also run three 'Academy' schools in the borough and own Tameside Radio, the local radio station. The council also used New Charter as an agency to run the 'Troubled Families' initiative, a failed government scheme that targeted families who were considered to have social problems.  Each agency was paid a £1,000 fee and an £800 result fee. The work was not put out to tender by the council and no other agency was invited to  apply. The council argued at the time that they were under no legal obligation to do so, as special rules applied. In August, it was reported that nationally, the £1.3bn scheme, had had "no discernable impact" on employment, truancy, or criminality.

Given the level of cronyism and nepotism which is a characteristic of the incestuous nature of Labour politics in Tameside, it is arguable whether there is any free press in this part of Greater Manchester. Politically, the borough is effectively a one party state. In 2013, the Electoral Reform Society (ERS), said that Labour dominated councils like Manchester, Salford and Tameside, were at risk of becoming the equivalent of 'one-party states' like North Korea, China or Cuba. In the Autumn of 2008, 'Private Eye', disclosed that agents of the council, were holding regular meetings with local newspaper editors, to suppress 'sensationalist' reporting.

One third of Tameside Council is comprised of married couples, couples, or people who are related to one another. Both the leader of the council, and his wife, Susan Quinn, are Droylsden councillors. The wife of Roy Oldham, a Freemason, and previous Labour leader of the council,  was also a Tameside Councillor. During 2011-12, the Quinn family, pulled- in between them, £111,314.96 from their political appointments as Labour councillors.

Needless to say, you're not likely to read about any of this in the Tameside Reporter & Chronicle, which nowadays, struggles to give the newspaper away free. You certainly won't find a word of criticism in the newspaper today, regarding either the council, or New Charter Housing. Is it any wonder that newspapers are going out of business when they no longer hold the powerful to account which is a hallmark of a properly functioning democracy. Since 2008, 150 local newspapers have closed in England and it's hardly surprising. How a housing company with such close links to the council, have been allowed to control a radio station and a local newspaper, beggars belief. What we have here, is Tammany politics in Tameside.

Activists target council for 'Nanny State' initiative for 'Troubled Families.' Blame the Government not single-mothers, say protesters!

Yesterday around 30 activists from across Greater Manchester, joined a protest outside Ashton-under-Lyne Town Hall, organised by 'Tameside Against the  Cuts'. They were there to protest against the 'Troubled Families Phase 2' initiative which is being introduced by Tameside Council in  Greater Manchester, as a joint enterprise between the Council, Ashton-under-Lyne Jobcentre and New  Charter Housing Trust.

Under the scheme - 'Troubled Families Wave 2, Joint Investment Agreement', Tameside Council is being paid  a £1000 attachment fee by the government for each troubled family on its books and is aiming to work with a minimum of 1,750 so-called 'Troubled Families'.  A further £800 'results fee' is also paid by the government, to an agency appointed by the council. This scheme follows on from Phase 1, which helped 'Troubled Families' with such things as truancy, anti-social behaviour, crime, domestic violence and drug and alcohol dependency.

Although the initiative appears to be legal but looks bent, a leaflet distributed by the protesters, described it as a "dodgy deal between the Government and the Greater Manchester Councils." In particular, they say that single-mothers are being targeted and designated as 'troubled families' because of problems that are not of their making, but which have resulted from Government  economic policies and welfare reforms, which have reduced income for benefit claimants both in and out of work. They also say that the scheme is a misuse of vital financial resources and seeks to cover up Government failed economic  policies  by blaming people for being unemployed.

As we reported recently, a single-mother and jobseeker,  was designated a 'troubled family' and referred to the scheme by Ashton-under-Lyne Jobcentre, when it was claimed she was not doing enough to find work. Under the scheme, each 'troubled family' is designated a key worker and a busybody social worker to police their everyday activities and to give them a nudge back into work. One of the criteria for 'early intervention' by Tameside Social Services, is where the family is considered to be at risk of 'financial exclusion' or where the children are at risk of 'worklessness'.

Protesters also say that New Charter Housing Trust, which is closely linked to the council, have been assigned the role as organizer even though the contract was not put out to tender. The council say that a waiver was "granted under PSO C3.2 to enable a direct award of the investment agreement with New Charter Housing Trust." In March 2000, Tameside Council transferred 14,600 homes to New Charter. Many of the senior managers of New Charter were former council employees and a number of Labour councillor's on Tameside Council, have taken up paid positions within the company. New Charter Housing also own the Reporter and Chronicle Newspaper and Tameside Radio. New Charter also sponsor three academy schools in Tameside. Following a recent criticial report by Ofsted into Tameside schools, Education boss, Cllr. Ged Cooney, - a former Chairman of New Charter Housing Trust - blamed the borough's academies for dragging down educational performance rates in Tameside.

Whether social services intervention will result in 'Troubled Parents' having their children taken off them because of 'worklessness', is not addressed but social workers do have statutory powers to place children in care.

Son of Tameside education boss convicted of drug offences!

Although he's only a council joiner and not the Queen, this year (2012), could turn out to be an annus horribilis for councillor Gerald (Ged) Cooney (pictured), the executive cabinet member for (Learning and Achievement) at Tameside Council, in Greater Manchester.

As the councillor with responsibility for both children's education and libraries in Tameside, it has been a difficult year for the Droylsden West Labour councillor. Cuts in library services that were implemented in October, have seen the closure of  five of the thirteen Tameside libraries, job losses, and a substantial reduction in library opening hours. Though many library staff  saw their hours and pay cut, eight senior library mangers, including library boss, Adam Allen (a Geordie with a background in sport), have received pay rises after cutting services, from a council supposedly strapped for cash.

While libraries closed and other public services got axed, the leader of  the council Kieran Quinn, told an incredulous public that services were not being closed but 'redesigned'.When mother's and  kids took to the streets in an attempt to keep their local libraries open, Cooney (who like Quinn always sticks to his press office script), told them in his oft-repeated mantra, that it was "important to remember that libraries were about services not buildings" and that the "new offer would provide a modern and comprehensive service that will meet people's needs." Few people were taken in with his claptrap.

Even though the Libraries and Museums Act 1964, requires council's to provide "an efficient and comprehensive library service", the library boss recently told a public meeting of Denton West-End library users, that the way things were going, there might not be any libraries in Tameside in the future.

More recently, the council's education boss has come under fire after the 'The Office for Standards in Education' (Ofsted) revealed that Tameside ranked as the worst local authority in Greater Manchester for education and the fifth worst nationally. The Ofsted report - that ranked every local council across England for the percentage of students attending schools which it rated good or outstanding - says that "Only a third of Tameside's secondary school children attend good or outstanding schools" and that this is one of the lowest figures in Britain. According to Ofsted, only 34% of secondary school pupils attend a Tameside school that is rated good or outstanding and only 57%, of Tameside's younger pupils, attend a good or outstanding primary school, which is the lowest figure in Greater Manchester.

The council have responded to the Oftsed findings by referring to exam tests results that they say show that Tameside school children are getting a good education. They also say that the opinion of Ofsted inspectors on the perfomance of schools, is a 'subjective measure of many factors such as leadership and capacity to improve'. But no matter how hard Tameside Council try to spin their way out of this, the Ofsted report is damning and must be deeply embarrassing for both the local authority and councillor Cooney, as the Executive Cabinet member responsible for education.

Last year, councillor Cooney claimed £31,998 in allowances from the taxpayer for running failing Tameside schools. Although he's listed has being employed as a joiner by Manchester City Council, it's doubtful that he spends much time in his overalls, given his many other positions that are connected with his political role. Apart from being a Tameside councillor, he's also a member of the Children and Young People's Strategic Partnership Trust and a Member of the Economic and Learning Partnership. He also lists membership of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund Panel and membership of AGMA's board of housing and planning.

There have been calls for Councillor Cooney to lose his executive cabinet post for (Learning and Achievement) because of the Ofsted criticism of Tameside schools. But as this is the season of goodwill, perhaps we should feel slightly sorry for him. Having taken flak during the year for library closures and failing schools, he now as pressing domestic concerns of his own.

Last month, councillor Cooney's son appeared in the dock charged with drug offences. Simon John Paul Cooney, of Parvet Ave, Droylsden, was fined £400 with £125 costs for possessing cocaine. Although his appearance in court received a brief mention in the local Tameside Advertiser, it failed to get any mention whatsoever in the local Tameside Reporter, that is now owned by New Charter Housing Trust Ltd. Whether this ommission by the newspaper had anything to do with the fact that Councillor Cooney is the Chairman of New Charter Housing, is debatable. However, some people might suggest that if Councillor Cooney cannot keep his own house and kids in order, then there is little hope for Tameside schools and the areas school children.

New Charter takes over Tameside Reporter. Is this a sad day for local democracy?

IN an exclusive report, Northern Voices, can reveal for the first time, that New Charter Housing Trust Ltd, has bought the ailing local newspaper, the Tameside Reporter which was first established in 1855.

In our report on July 14, we informed our readers that the newspaper was facing closure after being in business for 157 years and was looking for a buyer. We also reported that it was rumoured that New Charter was interested in buying the newspaper to add to its rapidly expanding business empire.

For some years now, New Charter have been diversifying into other areas unrelated to housing provision. In March 2000, Tameside Council transferred all its remaining council housing to New Charter who purchased the homes after a previous transfer, of housing stock, to Ashton Pioneer Homes. The housing company have ambitions 'to own and manage 30,000 homes by 2020.'

Since acquiring housing stock in Tameside, the company have rapidly expanded its interests beyond the boundary of Tameside by acquiring 'aksa' homes (Oldham), 'Gedling Homes' (Nottinghamshire) and 'Threshold' a charitable organisation that helps the homeless with 'pathways to independence'. The company also have an interest in 'New Charter Academy', a school/sports college, and recently acquired ownership of Tameside Radio.

In his speech to delegates at the 'Business of Social Housing' conference in April, held at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Tony Powell, an Executive Director for New Charter, told the meeting that the housing company was continually 'delivering more than just housing' and was focused 'on a number of areas including community safety, jobs and lifelong learning, and the environment.'

Why a housing company with no previous experience of running a newspaper and with very, very, close links to Tameside Council, would want to buy a local newspaper, is to say the least, highly suspect. But because of its corporate influence and close links with council, one might also question whether New Charter, is an appropriate and suitable organization, to run a local newspaper.

At a recent Tameside County Court hearing held in July, a judge strongly criticised the housing company for seeking an injunction against a Tameside resident that in his view, was 'ridiculously wide' and a 'significant breach of freedom of speech' aimed at protecting New Charter from legitimate criticism.

In another case, Steve Fisher, a 56-year-old New Charter tenant from Dukinfield, was so incensed by his treatment at the hands of New Charter that he set up his own blog known as 'New Charter Housing Watch'. Mr. Fisher's problems arose in 2006 when the housing company took legal action against him for his allegedly unkempt garden. After several articles about his case appeared in the local Tameside Advertiser, we understand that the housing company threatened the newspaper with legal action demanding an apology and a ban on letters from Mr. Fisher. Mr. Fisher told Northern Voices:


'I am absolutely appalled to hear that New Charter are being allowed to buy the Tameside Reporter. This is indeed a sad day for democracy. Following my court case in 2006, I subsequently phoned the former editor of the Tameside Advertiser about why the newspaper had ceased to publish my letters. I was told that the housing company had threatened legal action unless the newspaper stopped publishing my letters and apologised. Since this spat with New Charter, I've been banned from entering any of their premises and they will not allow me to stand as a Tenant Director as is my right, and which is a breach of my human rights.'
_________________________________________________________
The printed version of NORTHERN VOICES 13, now on sale with all sorts of stuff others won't touch and may be obtained as follows: Postal subscription: £5 for the next two issues (post included). Cheques payable to ‘NORTHERN VOICES’ at c/o 52, Todmorden Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 4AH.
Tel.: 0161 793 5122. Email: northernvoices@hotmail.com

NEW CHARTER TENANT VOWS TO FIGHT ELECTION BAN!

Steve Fisher's quest to become a tenant director of New Charter Homes is rapidly degenerating into a ludicrous farce, a kind of Brechtian theatre of the absurd.

In June we reported that Mr. Fisher (53), pictured above, who has lived at his present address for the last 26 years and has been a New Charter tenant for ten years, had been told by New Charter boss John Ardern that his nomination to stand for election as a tenant director would not be accepted because the company considered him too 'adversarial'. To be precise, four years ago, New Charter took civil legal action against Fisher and sought an injunction to compel him to tidy-up his natural wildlife garden. When he successfully fought the action as 'litigant in person' and went to the press complaining of the injustice of his landlord's actions, New Charter became so incensed by the press criticism that they went kicking and screaming to their legal department, who in turn, threatened the local Tameside Advertiser with legal action.

Since his scrape with New Charter in 2006, Fisher, has been effectively placed under a cordon sanitaire by the housing company. In 2007 he was designated by them as a 'prolific complainant' and the following year, he was banned from entering and speaking to New Charter staff apart from reporting repairs. His only contact with the company is now through his go-between John Ardern, who took the original decision not to accept his nomination as a tenant director.

Mr. Fisher is not taking this lying down and yet again, he`s invoked the company's complaints procedure. He is after all a 'prolific complainant' and must live up to his well earned reputation. Last month he was told by Tony Powell, Executive Director of Neigbourhoods that he upheld the original decision which was in the 'best interests of the company'. He also told him: "Your attempts to involve the media and engage other people through the internet against New Charter also have influenced my decision". And he also adds: "The subsequent e-mails sent by yourself to Mr. Ardern ... contained a number of profanities and allegations of impropriety by the company". Referring to other communications he says: "In other e-mails which I have seen you have made a comment about 'Pope Danny McLoughlin' and referred to other tenants (not specified) as 'nodding donkeys'".

In his dealings with New Charter Mr. Fisher has obviously trodden on some big corns. But Steve Fisher unlike many people nowadays, is not a 'Yes Man'. He does not doff his cap even to his landlord. He`s not the kind of person that housing companies like to pack their Boards with. While it might not 'be in the best interests of the company' to accept his nomination, so what! Mr. Fisher's concern is with what is in the 'best interests' of the tenants, not the company. As a New Charter tenant he therefore sought to stand in an election and to be judged by his peers and not by some middle-class over paid lackies of a housing company who have taken exception to his frankness and his use of the internet and the media. There`s obviously no room for democracy within New Charter despite what they say, and this issue looks like it's going all the way to the Housing Ombudsman.

NEW CHARTER TENANT ACCUSED OF STARING AT ADULTS & CHILDREN!

Tenant Steve Fisher has become something of a bête noire to his landlord New Charter Housing Trust in Tameside. In June we reported on Mr. Fisher's abortive attempts to become a tenant director of New Charter Housing Trust. Mr.Fisher, aged 53, who has lived at his current address for 26 years, had been told by John Arden, Director of Business and Assurance that his nomination was unacceptable because he was considered too 'adversarial'. For the last 2 years, Mr. Fisher has also been banned from entering New Charter offices and he's prohibited from speaking to any New Charter staff, other than John Arden, his go-between to New Charter.

Last week Mr. Fisher received a rather strange and perplexing letter from his go-between, John Arden. Writing to express how much New Charter valued his commitment in addressing Anti-social behaviour in the area where he lived, he then went on to add:

"I wish to inform you I have received some complaints of concern about the way in which you may have been gathering the information submitted to us. There is a perception that you are standing at your bedroom window, for long periods of time, staring at adults and children whilst they are present in their home or garden space.These complainants have expressed feeling very uncomfortable by your behavior (sic). I am aware that you have used binoculars to gather information which may also be seen as excessive and an intrusion of privacy....I must encourage you, however, to avoid placing yourself in a position where you may be singled out and place yourself at risk."

In his letter John Arden, says that he is also concerned about 'warlike' comments made by Fisher and that New Charter always encourages a 'cohesive, friendly community, promoting unity and understanding in the positive endeavors (sic) of all residents'. Pass the sick bucket! Mr. Arden then ends by warning Fisher: "A 'warlike' attitude within the area, where there are many children is undesirable in assisting the needs of an evolving community and, indeed, is contrary to the purpose of the assistance you have afforded. I trust....I will not receive further complaints in regards to your conduct."

It seems that dealing with New Charter, on the subject of anti-social behaviour can be quite perilous and hazardous for those who are prepared to stand up and be counted. One is never quite sure what side of the street New Charter are standing on! No doubt those pre-simian life-forms who engage in anti-social behaviour to wreck the lives of others will derive great consolation from the words of Mr. Arden.

New Charter Tenant Victimised!

A tenant of the New Charter Housing Trust in Tameside has been told that his nomination to stand as a tenant director (for July 2010) will not be accepted by New Charter housing management. Steve Fisher from Dukinfield, aged 53, has been told by John Ardern, Director of New Business and Assurance, that his conduct is too 'adversarial' and it is unclear he adds: "what is motivating you to apply for a Tenant Director’s post." Mr Fisher was told that New Charter would not accept his application due to the way he has conducted himself with the company and that his e-mails to the housing company would be used as evidence of his ineligibility.

In 2006, Mr.Fisher was taken to court by New Charter who sought an injunction against him to force him clean up his natural wildlife garden which the company claimed was untidy. The issue attracted local media interest and New Charter accused him of bringing the company into disrepute. Steve Fisher told NV blog:

"New Charter have never forgiven me for the bad media coverage that they received when they took me to court. Ever since, the company, have had an axe to grind not just against my garden trees but also against me personally. For the last 2 years I have been banned from entering any of their buildings and I am forbidden from talking to any of their staff except John Ardern. As a New Charter tenant I have been disenfranchised and discriminated against by a company that claims to believe in equal opportunities and claims to be a company that cares. In spite of their efforts to block my nomination, I have submitted my application in person."