City council settles with Mo Chaudry to close dispute over splash pool deal
CALLS were last night made for a secret deal between businessman Mo Chaudry and council officers to be made public.
The millionaire Waterworld owner has now dropped his long-standing threat of legal action after agreeing a "settlement" with Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
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Mo Chaudry
He claims the authority broke a deal to close the Dimensions splash pool and pay him £100,000-a-year to offer a discount at Waterworld instead.
The council last night admitted discussions took place with Mr Chaudry over the possible closure of the facility.
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A statement said: "The council acknowledges that there was considerable confusion around this process, which is regrettable and for which the city council is prepared to apologise to Mr Chaudry and Waterworld. Mr Chaudry and the city council have agreed to conclude their differences amicably in order to look to the future."
Both parties have refused to disclose details of any settlement, or whether it included money.
Councillor Dave Conway, now leader of the opposition City Independents, was among those who campaigned against the pool's closure and quit the Labour group in protest over the plans.
He said: "It is disgraceful. This is public money. There is a clear public interest in the public finding out how much of their taxes have been spent on this.
"I also want to know why they have paid him if there was no contract in place; which is what I was told at the time."
Paul Breeze, a non-aligned councillor and chairman of the Hanley One Residents' Association, said: "This council goes to great pains to talk about its openness and transparency.
"There is nothing open and transparent about this. The money they are paying out is our money.
"I believe they are hiding something and I don't know what, or why."
Taxpayer Daniel Arnold called on the council to reveal what had gone on.
The 24-year-old, of Meir, said: "If money has changed hands, they should have no choice, but to say how much it is."
The Dimensions controversy sparked the arrest of former councillor Roger Ibbs and then elected mayor Mark Meredith.
Mr Chaudry was arrested on suspicion of inciting, counselling or procuring the willful misconduct of the elected mayor.
No charges were ever brought and the investigation dropped.
Plans to close the centre were scrapped in 2008, because the council could not make the savings it had intended.
Mo Chaudry said in a statement "I am satisfied that my integrity and reputation are now restored."
Council's chief executive John van de Laarschot said in the statement: "It is pleasing that we have been able to come to an amicable agreement over this unfortunate legacy issue and that Mr Chaudry can now focus his business acumen on working with the city council to deliver real improvements for the people of Stoke-on-Trent."
Comments
by Vale_For_Real
Monday, October 03 2011, 3:04PM
“tiredofstoke said
"The Council publishes all payments over £ 500 on its' web site under the Finance Section - Freedom of Information - presumably all will be revealed?"
Agree.
As well as publishing full details if any payment was made it should also be required that the council publishes any legal or other fees they have laid out because of this.”
by strandedhere
Sunday, October 02 2011, 4:22PM
“I know some people hope that records of emails,etc. will emerge.
I have had many dealings with this council,and applied under the Data Protection legislation to see information held on myself by Children's services.
The reply:
We hold only your name and address.All other records both paper and in other forms have been destroyed as part of regular housekeeping.
Not many people know this,but the council IS allowed to destroy any information it deems too trivial to be retained.
Best of luck proving anything against these people.”
by truestokie
Sunday, September 25 2011, 10:37AM
“Slowly but surely the people are waking up, pity it is too late, and no-one will pay but the tax-payers.”
by anharad
Saturday, September 24 2011, 5:58PM
“This stinks par of the course for stoke city council why cant they ever come clean.”
by kettchuk
Saturday, September 24 2011, 3:19PM
“Stoke city council in corruption scandal and noone gets prosecuted...why is this even classed as news? Corruption on this level is just like breathing to these people.”
by Jobeeone
Saturday, September 24 2011, 1:39PM
“So what you are saying is that there is some connection between the council officers, a local business man and an underground sect? There isn't one law for all in this country or probably any other because money talks volumes and don't get me on crime and justice. No, as a woman and from what little I understand of sharia law I could do without it and if something is filtering into the system which has not been voted for then maybe you should be asking questions on the government website.”
by Backdoored
Thursday, September 22 2011, 9:39PM
“Oh, and perhaps I should have added -so that there is no further confusion on your part -re your inference that I am 'Islamaphobic' -consider, that the Ex-Muslim Council of Britain have been campaigning to ban Sharia Courts and Tribunals from the Uk for some years now -and they are not Islamaphobic -you are racing ahead of yourself.
They believe, as I and the vast majority of people of this country do -99% -including probably yourself -that there should be One Law For All. -And there's another group of Ex-Muslims who are engaged in getting that to come about.
I am equally against any 'group' or organisation who work against the democratic principles and use other means to get what they want -such as the Freemasons, who also, incidentally operate in secrecy. So forget the 'phobia' tag, -that's in your own head not mine.”
by Backdoored
Thursday, September 22 2011, 9:20PM
“You'd get more satisfaction from persuading Mo and Mo to let you in on what deal they did? ...Secrecy breeds suspicion..... too many coincidences. Sharia Law is here de facto and operates as such every day up and down the land with new Courts opening every few months.
It's the 'cultural persuasion' that informs how some people do things -in walks of life not necessarily at the centre of 'their' culture. Wise up.”
by Jobeeone
Thursday, September 22 2011, 9:06PM
“Backdoor you are going to have to explain the connection because Sharia is not a recognised law in this country. Your comments just read as pure Islama phobia which is of no use to the debate and leads to the rest of the country thinking Stokies are living in the past.”
by Backdoored
Thursday, September 22 2011, 12:04PM
“The influence of Sharia Courts at play here surely. They'll be asked to take their shoes off as they enter the Council Chamber soon.”