Camden council has dropped its attempt to prosecute two people for flyposting during the run-up to its tenant ballot on arm鈥檚-length management (HT 16 July, page 11).

The pair claim the council backed down because of protests, but Camden says a legal technicality forced its withdrawal.

Camden council sent a court summons to Alan Walter and a fellow activist on 6 July after they put up posters opposing the creation of an ALMO for the council鈥檚 27,000 homes.

Tenants voted resoundingly against the ALMO in January.

The council says it cannot prove whether the second activist received its warning against continuing to flypost. A successful prosecution would be unlikely without proof of receipt.

In light of this, the council said it would 鈥渘ot be in the public interest鈥� to pursue the case against Walter either, because both were accused of the same offence.

Camden鈥檚 executive member for environment, John Thane, said in a statement: 鈥淚 very much regret that we have been advised that it would be unwise to prosecute Alan Walter, who was caught red-handed after having received warnings to both his organisation and himself.鈥�

But Walter said the council was reacting to a 鈥渂arrage鈥� of criticism from tenants, community groups and trade unions who claimed it had been trying to silence dissent.

The second activist was not available for comment.

Source

Housing Today