SPECIAL APPEAL – Spirit, Broadway Market

Dear all,

Over the past few months there have been various discussions with Hackney Council, both its Officers and Councillors in seeking to resolve outstanding issues from the property sales fiasco.

I am currently in contact with them regarding the recommendations put forward by the Governance & resources Scrutiny Committee Panel Review to recover the 14 units in Dalston Lane which are currently owned by the same Bahamas based Company which owns Spirit’s shop in Broadway Market. Those discussions are on-going.

But with regard to Spirit (71 Broadway Market) and Tony (34 Broadway Market) there has been no movement on the part of Hackney Council, although they acknowledge that the situation requires sorting out.

As many of you will know, Spirit won his appeal on 12th April 2006, although he still owed some £25,000 in rent arrears. His Landlords have now appealed against the decision of the Court. They will need to get permission to Appeal and a decision on this is expected within the next 7 days or so, although it is quite likely that they will get permission.

They are appealing the decision which, effectively, identified Spirit as an Assured Residential Tenant as they consider that decision to be unfair and flawed.

They are also appealing against the decision not toaward costs against Spirit.

Even so, they have also issued Notice of Seeking Possession of Spirit’s shop and home on the grounds that he is an Assured Tenant with more than 2 months rent outstanding. So they have covered all angles. This was an ideal opportunity for Hackney Council to intervene and to try to resolve the situation. I put this to them and they now advise only that they ‘will await the decision of the Court of Appeal before proceeding further’.

I would invite all supporters to write to Hackney Council or to e-mail them (see below) to protest at their inaction in dealing with the cases of Spirit and Tony and calling upon them to take immediate action to acknowledge past failings and to end the distress which this on-going situation is causing to both Spirit and Tony.

The contact details are as follows:-

Penny Thompson e:mail:- penny.thompson@hackney.gov.uk
Chief Executive, London Borough of Hackney, Town Hall, Mare Street, London E8 1EA

Meic Sullivan Gould e:mail: meic.sullivan-gould@hackney.gov.uk
Law & Democratic Services, Town Hall, Mare Street,London E8 1EA

Many thanks Arthur Shuter e:mail: acsadvice@yahoo.co.uk