This is what HDC informed me on 25th February 2011

I asked a question of both the CEO David Monks (payoff £139,000) and Councillor Leader Ian Bates (stepping down in May 2011) about the position of HDC over claiming half the money from the sale of land by St Neots swimming pool trust. The duty of replying was delegated to Colin Meadowcroft. I received this reply as outlined in a blog on 25th February 2011.

Dear Mr Gadenne,

I refer to your email below and understand that you sent a similar query to Mr Bates, the Leader of the Council. They have asked me to send a response on behalf of the Council.

There are no redevelopment proposals for the site currently before the Council and in such circumstances it is not possible to provide a definitive answer to what is, at the present time, a hypothetical  question. It would not be appropriate for the Council to purport to bind or pre-empt a decision of the Council in the future. If and when a request is received by the Council regarding the Agreement, it will be considered on its merits and the Council’s course of action will depend on the circumstances prevailing at the time.

I trust you understand why it is not possible to be more definitive at this time.

Yours sincerely,

Colin Meadowcroft

Monitoring Officer and

Head of Law Property and Governance

Huntingdonshire District Council

01480 388021

When looking back this answer is strange to say the least. Because HDC does have a definitive answer. The report to the secret part of the Cabinet meeting on 31st January 2008. This report was by....Colin Meadowcroft!

In his reply Colin Meadowcroft says:
"...in such circumstances it is not possible to provide a definitive answer to what is, at the present time, a hypothetical  question"

Not so hypothetical now. The council does have a position and that position was not to take half the proceeds. Why can't HDC actually say this?

Colin further replies:
"It would not be appropriate for the Council to purport to bind or pre-empt a decision of the Council in the future"

Yet a report was produced which does exactly this. The District Council position is clear. They don't intend to take half the money.

Colin Meadowcroft was authorised to reply by Cllr Ian Bates and CEO David Monks. He even copied them in on the reply:

I just don't understand all this. The only reason for not stating the position of the Council is to take more money from the Swimming Pool Trust. This is good news for St Neots and good news for the Conservatives. But it has been kept under wraps.

All this shows is when asking HDC a question don't trust the reply!

Gurgling in the pool of despair

I sent an email to both Ian Bates (Leader of HDC) and David Monks (Chief Executive - £139,000 pay off) emails asking what the position is of HDC over taking half the money from the St Neots Swimming Pool Trust. 

Dear Sir,

In the recently published accounts of the St Neots Swimming Pool Trust no 270074 there is a statement that says Huntingdonshire District Council is entitled to half the money from a proceeds from the sale of the land owned in Huntingdon Street, St Neots. I would like to know the District Councils position on whether it intends to enforce this agreement and take half the proceeds?

I received this reply:

Dear Mr Gadenne,

I refer to your email below and understand that you sent a similar query to Mr Bates, the Leader of the Council. They have asked me to send a response on behalf of the Council.

There are no redevelopment proposals for the site currently before the Council and in such circumstances it is not possible to provide a definitive answer to what is, at the present time, a hypothetical  question. It would not be appropriate for the Council to purport to bind or pre-empt a decision of the Council in the future. If and when a request is received by the Council regarding the Agreement, it will be considered on its merits and the Council’s course of action will depend on the circumstances prevailing at the time.

I trust you understand why it is not possible to be more definitive at this time.

Yours sincerely,

Colin Meadowcroft

Monitoring Officer and

Head of Law Property and Governance

Huntingdonshire District Council

01480 388021

Reading the "Council speak" this seems to me HDC feels it is entitled to half the proceeds of the sale. I was actually asking what the position on whether it intends to take half the proceeds. This is the standard line for trying to put an issue down. I received a reply which effectively means the situation isn't resolved. HDC may or may not try to enforce this agreement.

Of course the Council does have a position on this. It is just blacked out.

Whilst not resolving this it does seem to leave a large question mark over the amount of money the Swimming Pool Trust may receive after HDC takes half.