Journalist Andrew Kersley’s investigation of Waltham Forest resident Tracey Turnell’s tragic death causes a stir, but after at first feigning interest, the Greens quickly chicken out
Journalist Andrew Kersley’s investigation of Waltham Forest resident Tracey Turnell’s tragic death, published on 30 May in The Londoner, has deservedly provoked much positive interest and comment (see below).
But there is one grating note.
After publication, the newly appointed Green Party cabinet member in charge of adult social care, Cllr. Martin Edobor, was in contact with Mr. Kersley and ‘said he was open to meeting to discuss what could be done’.
To Mr. Kersley this seemed promising, as, after all, Labour previously had ignored both him, and others who had raised LBWF’s longstanding failures over safeguarding (see links).
But unfortunately, when push came to shove, Cllr. Edobor chickened out, as Mr. Kersley reports:
‘while we were in the midst of organising timings to meet, an email came from Edobor. He told me he had consulted with the social care department and had been informed that, actually, a meeting would be impossible. Discussing how the department he now runs could prevent a case like Tracey’s from happening again, he claimed, “would be a potential conflict of interest”, as it “relates to council service delivery and my responsibilities as lead member for Adults and Health”’.
There’s also a revealing coda, because puzzled by the ‘potential conflict of interest’ reference, Mr. Kersley asked for clarification, but in true LBWF style, he is – you guessed right – still waiting for a reply.
And the Greens promised they would be different!
https://www.the-londoner.co.uk/tracey-turnell-death-wheelchair-walthamstow/
https://www.the-londoner.co.uk/how-to-investigate-the-impossible/
