Livingston - all the threads merged

[LIVIFOREVER]

There's a difference between a hack writing down the wrong name and a direct quote from the Chairman though (which would suggest it's not idle gossip).

It's hardly a waste of time when so many fans are starting to discuss the possibility of moving, fuelled by the quotes in the paper. Easy just to send you a quick email to stick something up on the OS

Wasn't a quote from the chairman, the chairman said this;

McDougall stresses that the "financial pain" of what was inherited from Massone has all-but gone at Almondvale. "Crucially, there is nothing left to come out of the woodwork," he says. "We know where we stand."

then the bit you're talking about was was written underneath seperate from what McDougal said, most likely just thrown in by Ewan Murray. http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Pain-lingers-but-Livingston-set.6526271.jp

[brian]

Wasn't a quote from the chairman, the chairman said this;

then the bit you're talking about was was written underneath seperate from what McDougal said, most likely just thrown in by Ewan Murray. http://sport.scotsma...-set.6526271.jp

Charles i have a song for You, Dave, Peter, Ged, Gordon, Neil and WLC: money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money, money.

You are a pathetic impostor and all people know this.

Ciao little muppet see you soon.

[The Hound]

Ewan Murray is a damn well respected journalist, not a staffer with the EN and not the type to just idly throw something like that in. Look, there's plenty chat and plenty afoot. Even the bloody Italians are coming out of the woodwork. All it takes is for the board to come out and say yes or no. They've spoken out before over less. The silence is only increasing the suspicion.

What's the fuss anyway? Most would be in favour!

[brian]

Ewan Murray is a damn well respected journalist, not a staffer with the EN and not the type to just idly throw something like that in. Look, there's plenty chat and plenty afoot. Even the bloody Italians are coming out of the woodwork. All it takes is for the board to come out and say yes or no. They've spoken out before over less. The silence is only increasing the suspicion.

What's the fuss anyway? Most would be in favour!

Charles this is the WLC mentality that You know really well...say hello to your friend Peter J.

You are not a Livi supporters but a little politician corrupt!

Councillor: 'I'll bring down this council if you block my client's £8m development'

heraldscotland staff

Share 0 comments 20 Dec 2008

INVESTIGATION: By Paul Hutcheon

A senior councillor reported to police over his role in a £8 million planning application was working as a consultant on the same deal while sitting on the local authority's development committee.

A dossier obtained by the Sunday Herald shows how Gordon Beurskens, an independent who props up the SNP administration in West Lothian, warned council officials who objected to his client's plans for a housing development.

He even suggested the Nationalist council could be brought down in "two minutes" after becoming frustrated by delays with the application.

Documents also show that council leader Peter Johnston was copied into intemperate emails sent to staff, as well as correspondence from Beurskens as a consultant.

Council chief executive Alex Linkston has reported Beurskens to the police over his role in a planning application for a mixed development scheme at Whitrigg, Whitburn.

The £8m plan was rejected by planning officials but pushed through by councillors last month with the casting vote of SNP committee chairman Jim Dickson, who has stood down from his post pending an independent review.

Although Beurskens's register of interest states that he has a "ceased" interest in the Whitrigg land, a raft of internal council emails shows the councillor was doubling up as a consultant for the firm driving the project, Aftondale Ltd.

Councillors on the development control committee, a quasi-judicial body, must show impartiality on planning applications, but the files reveal Beurskens had a financial interest in the plan being approved.

The councillor, who along with his colleagues in the Action To Save St John's party keeps the SNP in power in West Lothian, also received a campaign donation from Land 4 Leisure, a firm that has Aftondale's owner Peter McMahon as a director.

The internal emails show that Beurskens, a former bankrupt who sits on the development committee, regularly contacted planning officials in his capacity as a consultant.

A email sent from Beurskens on October 17 to a planning official - sent from the email account of his firm, ABW Consultants (Scotland) Ltd - said of the Whitrigg plan: "The suggestion yesterday that the Council may indeed change it's sic opinion in relation to the previously supported elements of the application, would be a serious breach of trust, which, if actionable will be hauled through the courts and the complaints system. I have to say words fail me in expressing my deep discomfort and anger at this apparent shift."

An email to planners from the previous day, again from Beurskens's ABW account, said of objections to the application by local firm Wiseman Dairies: "I will give you this warning. I have sufficient personal shares to establish challenge; I have a personal fortune higher than the aroagnt sic b*****ds involved representing Wisemans Dairies, and, if challenged, I will take those unworthy, arrogant idiots to the courts they prswsume sic to threathen sic us with."

An email in November to a development official, also copied to McMahon, said of the department's scepticism about the application: "We would like to move forward as quickly as possible with the requirments of the Committee Report. My understanding is that we require to provide a TIA Transport Impact Analyses, FRA Flood Risk Assessment and Contaminated Land Report prior to the issue of consent. In that case, we would require to know specifically what is required in the FRA and CLR from the Council's point of view."

He added: "Could you advise any officers who are to be involved to use my contact details here, and not my Council routes, and that Peter McMahon is copied in."

Other emails shows how council officials raised doubts about the planning application being initially referred to the development committee by Beurskens, who had a financial interest in the project.

One official noted: "The citing of his name on the report is at odds with his declared interest and him not partaking in its determination. I need legal advice on how to proceed here."

The emails also show how Beurskens issuing warnings when problems were flagged up with the application.

In an email to the director of the development department, Beurskens hit out at the delays his client was facing when trying to get guidance on the application: "I understand Economic Development have lodged an objection to Peter's proposals. The why is a spurious affront, the who I don't yet know. What I do know is I will be looking for answers tomorrow morning I don't know what it was like under the previous administration, but I know exactly how it is not going to be under this one."

On March 10, a Beurskens email to the director and council leader Peter Johnson warned of the consequences of delay: "This is neither appropriate or smart. I gave a clear warning that I would not tolerate this kind of nonsense outside the council or inside the council. It would take me all of two minutes to change the complexion of a Council, far less to give clear guidance to a planning applicant. I trust I need say no more on the subject."

An email between planning officials, this time in September, gave a summary of a conversation with Beurskens: "He suggested that if I looked to the report being withdrawn, then I and/or the council would be the recipient of counter legal action and a complaint made against me.

"If the decision was taken to hear the report, and a planning permission was challenged in the courts and quashed, then he would be suing the council."

Another email to officials and SNP councillors from Beurskens stated: "I understand from speaking to Peter Macmahon this morning that his meeting with Craig a development official was rather negative. Given my previous involvement with this site, you will understand my sensitivity I assure you gentlemen, that will only be the start of what could be a very painful scrutiny process. Perhaps a meeting might be in order - quickly."

Correspondence between council officials makes clear they were working in an atmosphere of intimidation. After one of Beurskens's emails, a senior employee noted: "I simply cannot carry out my professional duties against this kind of background."

Another stated: "If either party speak to staff in this manner there are clear guidelines in the Personal Safety at Work Policy and Guide and the Whistleblowing policy on what to do. No member of staff - or management - should be put under this pressure no matter whether there is political desire to hush it up. If an FOI Freedom of Information request were lodged this would be produced therefore we should treat it as public information."

Apart from the police inquiry, sources close to the council say Beurskens could be reported to the Standards Commissioner, the watchdog that investigates complaints against councillors.

The code of conduct for councillors explicitly states: "You must never seek to pressure planning officers to provide a particular recommendation on any planning application, planning agreement or taking enforcement action."

It adds: "You must not act on behalf of, or as an agent for, an applicant for planning permission with the Council other than in the course of your professional role which you have registered."

The documents also show that Peter Johnston, the SNP council leader, was copied into a number of the intimidating emails to staff, as well as correspondence from Beurskens in his capacity as a consultant.

When approached by the Sunday Herald, Johnston initially said yesterday: "I think Gordon Beurskens will be fully exonerated."

After reading out the Beurskens emails that he had been copied into, the council leader said: "That sort of language is not something I condone. When he was sending those emails, they were as a consultant.

"Had he sent them as a councillor he could be accused of breaching the code of conduct. I am disppointed in the use of language in the emails."

Despite council officials' reservations, the planning application was eventually approved following a tied vote on the development committee last month Although Beurskens absented himself from the debate, a "substitute" vote was given to his fellow Save St John's councillor, Ellen Glass.

The tie resulted in the chairman of the committee, Jim Dickson, issuing his casting vote in favour of the development.

Linkston, the council chief executive, then reported Beurskens to the police following complaints by opposition councillors.

Dickson has also stood down as committee chairman while the council launches an independent review of its procedures in planning applications.

Asked what his connection was to Aftondale and the planning application, Beurskens told the Sunday Herald yesterday: "I was a consultant. I have worked in conjunction with my colleague who owns Aftondale on several projects over the years. The consultancy company has been in existence for around 10 years."

A West Lothian ouncil spokesman said of the probe: "Given the nature of the allegations we have asked police to investigate. As this is now an on-going inquiry it is not appropriate to comment further."

[Charles Darwin Esq]

You are a pathetic impostor and all people know this.

Ciao little muppet see you soon.

I'm honoured!

Well, looks like it's the Colosseum for me now. Or maybe he'll just turn up and disconnect my leccy to prove the point.

[Charles Darwin Esq]

What's the fuss anyway? Most would be in favour!

I'm not opposed to the idea, just the rumour mill creating it. We had more than enough gossip-fuelled headlines when that Italian lunatic was mismanaging the club into the ground, so it's no surprise he's still hovering around looking for a spotlight somewhere. An ego that size couldn't have it any other way.

[AND180Y]

How big a shareholding does Livingston5 have in LFC?

[QOS Sean]

If wpc beth green says Livingston will move and Tesco will buy Almondvale which he did then it is almost certainly true

[Charles Darwin Esq]

If wpc beth green says Livingston will move and Tesco will buy Almondvale which he did then it is almost certainly true

Well given "WPC Beth Green's" intimate knowledge of Diamonds and clandestine brown envelopes, you're probably right.

[007]

How big a shareholding does Livingston5 have in LFC?

Major? does it really matter?

How big a shareholder are you in Hair Division??

[AND180Y]

Major? does it really matter?

How big a shareholder are you in Hair Division??

The major or a major?

Wrong tree again|

[The Hound]

Major? does it really matter?

How big a shareholder are you in Hair Division??

Someone's rattled. Why can't you just answer the question? Or if you don't know, shut up?

[MCL]

How big a shareholding does Livingston5 have in LFC?

It was my understanding that Livingston 5 Ltd were formed by Rankine, McDougall and Nixon in order to take over the club and bypass Livingston Football Club Ltd owned by Massone by persuading the SFL to grant them the league status. I thought Rankine was major shareholder with McDougall next and Nixon with a minor amount.

Livingston 5 have just filed their annual return and it makes for interesting reading.

It is owned 100% by Rankine, with Livi Director Carloyn Sumner as it's secretary. Andy Gemmell is also named as a director. Ms Sumner's address is the same as Rankine's. Is she his bidey-in? Another form has just been submitted this week with a change of director's details but too early to see what it's about.

No sign of the other two though.

Livingston 5 Ltd principal activity is "Non Trading Holding Company". Livingston FC Ltd still haven't submitted accounts or an annual return which involves penalty payments.

I hope LLD understands, and I'm sure as an employee of HMRC that he does, as a director of a company you are equally responsible to ensure compliance.

[LIVIFOREVER]

Oh I don't know. Maybe it's something to do with having no overdraft facility, fan representation on the board and people in charge of the club who actually have a clue?

Don't judge all clubs by the dubious standards of your own.

Exactly Jim. Thanks for clearing that up. I'm glad this overt corruption of football is taking heed forcing people to become aware. This can't be allowed to go on.

I could spend hours going through this thread quoting posts from Dundee fans.

Edited September 28, 2010 by LIVIFOREVER

[The ghost of Jim Morton]

I could spend hours going through this thread quoting posts from Dundee fans.

I wondered how long it would be before this thread re-appeared lolololololo

[vikingTON]

Looks like only me and Ghostie can keep our heads held high as the current wave of cheats meet their maker.

Oh well.

[The ghost of Jim Morton]

Looks like only me and Ghostie can keep our heads held high as the current wave of cheats meet their maker.

Oh well.

Frankly I find it disgraceful ..

I wish I had the will tae go looking through this behemoth.. There must be some storming stuff just gagging to be re-introduced to the viewing public..Maybe later

[MCL]

There are still questions unanswered from Livi though so don't be too hasty laughing at Dundee.

Too many fans who said they would put the board under more scrutiny have given up too easily with the 'I trust the board' mantra.

We are in exactly the same position with a super daddy owning us and a couple of puppets running things day-to-day. What happens if his money runs out or if the Tesco deal doesn't go through and he cuts his losses? The other two are well off but not enough to plough into a football team.

Have the "Trust" got a backup business plan yet?

They have now put around 20 grand into the club since 2004 but have only the 1% of B class shares they got from Flynn to show for it. They are probably worthless anyway since the changes of ownership in that time.

:lol:

[The ghost of Jim Morton]

the clowns are the livi fans buying this mans piss. livi will cease to exist very shortly!!!!!!!!!

The first of many belters

I know I said I wouldn't but then I realised I had a spare lifetinme...

[ayrmad]

Looks like only me and Ghostie can keep our heads held high as the current wave of cheats meet their maker.

Oh well.

Your club are only a healthy eating fad away.