EXCLUSIVE INVESTIGATION: Democracy Under Threat - Electoral Commission and The Times Newspaper Confirm AI Chatbots Conning Voters in England AND Scotland

 

Andrew Pope

Campaigner Andrew Pope says: 

"At the beginning of this month, before the local elections and Parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales, I investigated and reported on an AI chatbot called DOLA AI giving out misleading information in relation to my election in Redbridge ward, Southampton.

I gave my investigation to a freelancer journalist working for The Sunday Times.

And I contacted the Electoral Commission. Their full response is below.

Today, over a fortnight after the elections in England, Scotland and Wales, The Times is reporting that AI chatbots were misleading voters in Scotland.

My investigation showed it happening in Southampton, here in England. Like I said to the journalist weeks ago, I had no doubt that it was not just in Southampton. To say again, this was BEFORE the elections.

And I have had it confirmed in writing directly to me by the Electoral Commission that the AI chatbots misleading voters is not just limited to here in Southampton.

It is a national scandal of misinformation of voters that could have led to changes in outcomes to elections across the whole of the UK.

The Electoral Commission told me they are "aware" but what did they do about it? I did not see any evidence of action.

Our democracy is under threat from tyrannical leaders in the USA, China and Russia. 

And now, state actors and other malign actors are using AI chatbots to undermine democracy even more.

During the recent local elections, I uncovered election malpractice that was denied by Council staff and of which the Labour candidate in Redbridge saw no wrong, despite votes being in piles instead of in singles and folded, right before his eyes. 

The Police investigated and said that "no offence" occurred, as reported by the Daily Echo. Obviously I would not have reported it, if I did not experience it for myself and with my team at the count.

I have proved yet again that it takes independents and the Independent Network to call this out - the big political parties cannot be trusted.  

The UK Parliament needs to act to protect our democracy, and it needs to do it now. But the vast majority of the Members of Parliament are from the very corrupt parties that have led us to this. We are in big trouble."

 

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission said:

"Further to your recent email about DOLA AI and the information that it provided in the run up to the recent local elections.  I have forwarded your concerns to the team reviewing AI deepfakes for their consideration.

They have advised that they are aware of previous instances where AI chatbots have generated false or inaccurate information relating to elections, and we fully recognise the potential for such outputs to mislead voters and undermine confidence.

 

The Electoral Commission has taken this into consideration, and we always remind voters to engage carefully with online material. You can find more about what we are doing in this space here: Engaging with campaign material at elections | Electoral Commission?"

 

 

ROADS CAMPAIGN: "Will the Labour-Run Council Ever Get A Grip of our City's Road Works?" Campaigner Andrew Pope Asks

 

Map of roads disruption in Western Southampton May 2026
Image: Causeway

Collapsed sewer repair on Shirley High Street by Southern Water
Photo: Southampton Independents (AP)

Collapsed sewer repair on Shirley High Street by Southern Water
Photo: Southampton Independents (AP)

This week, the BBC and Daily Echo reported on Southern Water breaking its own water pipe and causing a high fountain on Shirley High Street, next to Shirley Precinct and all the shops on the main road.

It was the latest part of a farce involving a collapsed sewer, investigated and reported by campaigner Andrew Pope. He says:

"I was driving past these roadworks, which have been going for two months now.

My car got wet, I had to wind my window down so that I didn't get wet and my car didn't get wet inside from the water feature brought about by the incompetence of Southern Water and its contractors.

This disruption has affected residents and businesses. As a local businessman, I've contacted the Federation of Small Businesses to ask them to help me and other local business people.

As a local resident, I've also contacted the Council, local Lib Dem and Green councillors, Southern Water's contractors and local media. 

Will the Labour-Run Council ever get a grip of our City's road works?

I already asked them to cancel the Balfour Beatty contract, which they refused to do, as reported by the Daily Echo.

 

Guess the Pothole Rownhams Road 2026
Image: Southampton Independents (AP)

 

And I had to embarrass the Council and their Balfour Beatty contractors, by putting rubber ducks in the potholes, also reported by the Daily Echo. Many people heard about my actions to humiliate the Labour-run Council, and the serious point was for the Council to take control of our roads.

 

Extract from Andrew Pope Election Leaflet April 2026
Image: Southampton Independents / Independent Network

  

So as the Council haven't got a grip, I am now placing more demands on the Council and councillors.

I want to see all those privatised utility companies - water, gas, electricity, telephone, broadband - have to PAY MORE FINANCIALLY to dig up our roads.

They should have never been privatised in the first place. Public services have been broken up and sold off for private profit, and it has not been for the benefit of taxpayers, citizens or businesses.

The permit system has been an utter failure, as proved by the huge amount of disruption across Southampton.

Now Southampton must have disruption charging, also known as lane rental. The former Cabinet Member for Transport botched its first attempt. There have been four different people in the role over the past two years:

1. Eamonn Keogh, who I called to be sacked, and he was, 
2. Christie Lambert who was only in place for a short while, then 
3. Alex Winning who lost his seat this month, now 
4. Jacqui Rayment since the Full Council this week.

Will the latest Councillor in that role finally sort this out? Past experience suggests not, but perhaps there is a faint hope."

 

Reform UK Councillors Quitting... So what Is Reform UK Actually Like... On the Inside? "Nightmarish"... Says Andrew Pope

Graph of Redbridge ward result, 2026 Southampton City Council
Image: Southampton Independents

 

 

At the 2026 local elections, and the Scottish and Welsh Parliament elections, Reform did very well, reflecting their consistent opinion poll ratings.

Reform councillors have been elected in Southampton and elsewhere, somewhat unexpectedly and surprisingly. And some are quitting almost as soon as they were elected. Here are some examples:

• BBC. 11th May 2026 (4 days after the election), "New Reform councillor quits after race post claims"
• BBC, 15th May 2026 (8 days after election), "New Reform councillor who made adult films quits"
• MSN, 14th May 2026 (7 days after election), "Councillor quits Reform over Holocaust 'hoax' post"

A Reform UK candidate - John Edwards - won the Redbridge ward where Andrew Pope stood as an Independent Network candidate for Southampton City Council. The graph above shows the result. Andrew was third, slightly behind Labour but way behind Reform.

So what are the Reform UK councillors, such as Edwards, who is also the Chair of Reform UK in Southamptno, actually like? 

And what is Reform UK actually like... on the inside?

We have inside information. Slightly old information, but inside information.

Briefly in 2024, for around two months, after the June General Election Co-Founder of Southampton Independents Andrew Pope was a member of Reform UK. He quit in absolute disgust very shortly after, in September 2024.

Andrew says: 

"After the recent local elections, some of my supporters have suggested to me that I join a political party. I've said no, because I know better than that. My experience of the parties is bad, very bad.

Political parties have tried to recruit me, on several occasions, ever since I quit Labour in 2015. I have been independent of the big political parties ever since 2015. Apart from two months. that is.

Having met a few of their people, I was impressed by some of them. After the 2024 General Election, I joined Reform UK to see what it was like on the inside, and to see whether it was full of racists, fascists and incompetents, as alleged by many.

It wasn't full of racists and fascists but some of the people I met, and the attitudes that I heard, were definitely racist and some were definitely fascist. I found this deeply disturbing and it confirmed my worst fears.

What I also found was a massive amount of incompetence and disorganisation.

And a cult. A cult of Nigel Farage and his love for Margaret Thatcher and her disastrous approach to changing our country that damaged so many millions of people's lives. And still does - just look at the impact of privatised water, privatised trains and buses, privatised gas, privatised roads, privatised electricity and more! The Tories would privatise their grannies. It's chaos!

So I believe now that is what Reform UK is really about - bringing back Thatcherism which did our country so much harm the first time. The new Hampshire Reform UK councillor that is their group leader, George Madgwick, has consistently broken employment law, as reported by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

I had hoped that I could help Reform UK to be a truly new force in Southampton, and that it could have a diversity of views on policy.

But I couldn't do that. Because it isn't. And it couldn't.

As another supporter of mine reminded me, Reform is an anagram of "former". Reform is just another bunch of Tories, as proved by the recruitment of so many ex-Tory MPs and councillors, and George Madgwick fits that mould too.

I was being over-optimistic and I even agreed with local members to be the Reform UK candidate in the 2024 Shirley ward council by-election. But they couldn't even get me through their national incompetent vetting process properly or in good time, through no fault of mine. What a blessing in disguise that was!

I failed their candidate vetting, which they rushed and got wrong. I was not given any reason. In fact, I had to put them under extreme pressure to get any reasons, which took them months to provide when I had to threaten to go to the Information Commissioner. They were incompetent.

But it was a relief and was irrelevant anyway that I failed the vetting because I had already quit when I saw their incompetence, and the racism and fascism of some of the Reform members. 

It was clear to me that they were so disorganised and incompetent, that I could not have solved it on my own. Like when I quit Labour and refused to be in the Council's Cabinet, I would have been one of the few competent people, surrounded by ineptitude.

All big political parties seem to be the same.

All riddled with corruption, as proved by the Greens' Zack Polanski failing to pay council tax and lying about voting, Reform UK's Nigel Farage failing to declare £5 MILLION, and local Southampton Labour MP Satvir Kaur taking £10,000 from a convicted criminal.

Perhaps Reform UK is different now, nearly two years later. But I doubt it.

Because what I saw was ugly, very ugly indeed.

Ugliness plus some racists, some fascists, Thatcherites, disorganisation and incompetence. 

That is what Reform UK was about then.

But like I say, maybe it is different now. Or maybe not.

Ever since 2015, I have been independent of the big political parties. Those nightmarish two months reminded me why I do not want to be a member of the big political parties and what Reform UK truly is.

I cannot see me ever joining a big political party again, unless things change massively.

Being independent is what many residents respect, and I agree with them."

 

HOSPITAL FIRE SAFETY: Southampton General Hospital Trust Board and Council of Governors Answer Andrew Pope's Questions on Sprinklers

Andrew Pope After Council of Governors Meeting
Photo: Southampton Independents (AP)

After the Hospital's Trust Board refused to let him speak (yes, really) at their meeting, Andrew attended the Hospital's Council of Governors meeting. He still was not allowed to speak (yes, really) at the meeting. 

At the meeting, Andrew's questions that he had to send in and put prior to the meeting in writing, were answered by the Trust Board and Council of Governors. These are two separate committees. The latter are elected to represent patients and staff.

None of the Governors spoke in support of Andrew's request for sprinklers. 

None of the Governors asked questions of the members of the Trust Board present to hold them to account on fire safety.

Only the official response was read out as below, seemingly on behalf of the governors too who are supposed to hold the Hospital's Trust Board to account.

What do you think of all of this?

Do you agree with their answers? 

Get in touch to tell us what you think. And if you want to get involved in the campaign, or our campaigning more widely, get in touch.

 

Andrew Pope's Question 1

    Sprinklers save lives and property. In just a few weeks, over a hundred people - hospital staff, patients, and the public - have signed my petition for sprinklers at the SGH, and to make it mandatory in law. I received no direct response to my emailed questions to the Chief Executive and Chief Medical Officer about the lack of sprinklers in the part of the hospital where the devastating and highly disruptive Major Incident fire occurred that destroyed the endoscopy unit and which took firefighters hours to control and resulted in hundreds of patients being moved and huge disruption to the entire Region of the NHS. I asked Emily Hudson and Joe Campbell of BBC South to find out if there were sprinklers, and there were not. Instead, what amounted to excuses were made in writing to me by Corporate Affairs. I tried to ask at the recent Trust Board but the Chair prevented me from speaking - a member of the public at a public meeting of a public service, funded by public money. Will the Council of Governors ensure that I get a written answer from the Trust Board now please, instead of Corporate Affairs and public relations people?

Trust Board and Council of Governors Response

You have previously sent a number of questions to the Trust on this matter. The response you refer to in your question was provided from the Corporate Affairs email address, which is managed by the Company Secretary's office on behalf of the Trust Board. This response was provided on 13 February 2026.

As was explained by the Chair at the Board meeting held on 10 March 2026, the 'open' session of the Board meeting is a meeting 'in public' rather than a 'public meeting'. As such, members of the public attend as observers, not as participants in the meeting.

Andrew Pope's Question 2

 

Will the Council of Governors please commit now to ensure that sprinklers are installed in all buildings at the Southampton General Hospital, and give a deadline by which this will be done? This will protect patients, staff, firefighters, property and local residents. It will also save money and disruption, as confirmed to me directly by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service when I spoke with them after the recent incident at Shirley Towers,

Trust Board and Council of Governors Response

"The installation of sprinkler systems at Southampton General Hospital would not be viable. There are a number of reasons for this approach:

    Installation of sprinkler systems would go against technical guidance. Given the height of the hospital, guidance does not recommend the installation of sprinkler systems. In part this is because the fire service is able to tackle any fires below 32 metres.
    The hospital has a working passive alarm system. This proved highly effective during the fire on 1 February 2026, alerting the Trust and supporting the safe evacuation of 502 patients.
    Sprinkler systems cause extensive damage - whether through false activation or when in response to a fire. In the management of the fire on 1 February, there was extensive water damage, which has caused the Trust to have to take the ward below the site of the fire out of action for over six months to repair the water damage. Sprinkler systems do not solely address the seat of the fire and therefore the resultant water damage would likely have been more significant and widespread, which would have resulted in more beds and facilities being taken out of action.
    The cost of retrofitting a sprinkler system across the Trust's estate would be tens of millions. This is not an effective use of public funds.

 

With regard to the minutes from the Council of Governors’ meeting held on 22 April 2026, these will be included in the papers for the next Council of Governors’ meeting approximately five days before the meeting which is scheduled for Wednesday, 8 July."

THANK YOU! ANDREW POPE INDEPENDENT BEATS THE BIG POLITICAL PARTIES AGAIN - JUST LIKE WE DID IN 2016 AND 2018

Andrew Pope Beats Political Parties YET AGAIN
Photo: Southampton Independents (AP)

 

Redbridge ward 2026 Result, Southampton City Council
Graph: Southampton Independents (AP)

 

Andrew Pope Independent candidate for Redbridge says:

 

"Dear Residents of Redbridge, Maybush and Millbrook,

ONCE AGAIN, IN REDBRIDGE WARD WE BEAT THE BIG POLITICAL PARTIES LIKE WE DID IN 2016 AND 2018! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

I was 3rd out of 7 candidates. By working together with you helping me to help you, we beat the Tories, Lib Dems and Greens. And in some areas, Labour too. 

Thank you for your support – whether you put up an election board or an election poster, or if you voted for me, or if you encouraged others to vote for me. THANKS!

Together, we’ve shown in 2026, like we did in 2016 and 2018, that an Independent can beat the big political parties. It took a lot of hard work, but we did it.

This is what the Independent Network is about – not party politics, not imposed policies from Westminster – the Indie Network is about principles, the Martin Bell principles – listening to local people and acting with local people to win together.

This was a Council election. The Council has no power over national issues. But I lost to national party Reform in a local Council election. I don’t know why. 

In Redbridge ward, you now have a Reform councillor. And two Labour councillors.

If you voted for the big political parties at Westminster, including Reform, I would like to understand why you did. Please get in touch and I will listen carefully to you.

I will be holding Reform and Labour to account. For example, the Reform Councillor John Edwards has already linked arming all Police with immigration. Southampton Labour councillors are incompetent and corrupt. They and Labour MP Satvir Kaur took £10k from a convicted criminal, with no evidence of paying it back. I’ve asked.

Get in touch if you want to help your area, your family and your friends."

Andrew Pope, Independent Network, Co-Founder Southampton Independents 

Residents of Redbridge Ward Say Vote Andrew Pope Independent Network THIS THURSDAY 7am to 10pm on 7th May!

 

 

Andrew Pope - Independent Network at Millbrook Towers
Photo: Southampton Independents (CT)

Jan, a new supporter says:

"I’d like to say a few words to everyone about both Andrew and the Independent Network. Andrew does his best to get everyone’s problems sorted as best he can. He is a great support for us the working people."

Ken, who has been a supporter of Andrew for 10 years, says:

"I will vote for Andrew and support him because of what he has done to protect our parks at Five Acres, Mansel Park and Green Park. He stands up against those who want to take it away from the public."

Jean, a new supporter, says: 

"I had problems with vermin and dog faeces in a neighbour's council garden.
I had complained before to the Council but nothing got done.
Worse than that, the man was angry with me. I am an old lady who is not mobile.
A week after I contacted Andrew, it was cleared up. 
Andrew got it done. It took 3 people six or seven hours.
Good luck to Andrew. I will be voting for him."

Stuart, a new supporter, says:

"I recently met Andrew Pope and found him to be a likeable, trustworthy and dedicated public servant who genuinely wants to support his constituents. 
He previously helped our street by standing with the local community against proposed warehouse development, and although the project ultimately went ahead, his effort and advocacy were clearly appreciated.

 

More endorsers of Andrew Pope are below. 

Andrew Pope is standing to be re-elected to the Redbridge ward that he represented for eight years between 2011 and 2019 - first with Labour, then as an Independent when he quit Labour  in disgust at what they were doing to the people of the area. 

Andrew was the first Southampton Independents councillor. He co-founded Southampton Independents with Denise Wyatt and other local residents and supporters.

Those supporters are still supporting Andrew. They endorse and recommend Andrew to be re-elected. Andrew has worked very hard for the area and is known for getting things done over many years.

And because of his recent hard work, Andrew has new supporters.

As quoted on Andrew's election address, residents of Millbrook, Maybush and Redbridge say: 

"Andrew Pope stands up for our area. Vote Andrew Pope Independent Network on the 7th May because he isn't told what to do by political parties. Andrew is Putting You First. Only Andrew Pope can beat Labour here. Enough is enough. Help him to help you and yours."

These are the words of local residents, which they have agreed to be used on our website, on our letters and leaflets, and on all social media. 

More endorsements are below.

You will see their support in the form of election boards which supporters agree to be put up, because they support Andrew Pope Independent to be the Independent councillor for Redbridge again. 

Andrew is self-funded. He pays for his leaflets, letters and election boards. He does it because he cares about the people of Redbridge. His priorities are determined by many conversations with residents.

 

Andrew Pope with Election Board in Redbridge
Photo: Southampton Independents (AP)

 

More Endorsers 

John has supported Andrew since 2016, but had previously stopped voting because he says political parties are all useless and the same, says:

 "Unlike most councillors, who owe their allegiance to one political party or another Andrew Pope, as an independent, can and does work for the people who elect him. 

We need him to be our councillor again. If he stands, I will be voting for him. You should too. 

When Andrew Pope was our local councillor, of the three councillors we had, he was the one who got things done. 

When the residents had a problem with the roadside trees not being maintained, Andrew got that sorted. 

When I had a problem with the council tax band my home was in, Andrew came to my house and helped me to get the council tax band lowered. I can't see many other councillors doing that.”

Wayne, who has been a supporter of Andrew for a decade, says:

"Andrew stands up for the area, and is not told what to do by political parties.
He is here as a representative of the people and the area.
That's what a councillor should be.
Andrew is that."

 

Andrew at Five Acres
Photo: Southampton Independents (CT)

Vote Andrew Pope Independent Network on 7th May
Image: Independent Network

 

 

EXCLUSIVE INVESTIGATION: AI Chatbot Conning Voters - Andrew Pope Uncovers Evidence of Misleading Southampton Election Information by an AI Chatbot

 

Andrew Pope Independent Network Candidate for Redbridge Ward

 

 

BREAKING: From intelligence given to him by voters when he was canvassing for votes and delivering leaflets to voters in the Redbridge ward election, Candidate Andrew Pope has confirmed that an AI Chatbot has been giving out misleading information about the Southampton City Council elections...

 

Andrew has reported it to the Returning Officer and to the Electoral Commission, for info and urgent action. He has provided the evidence that he confirmed by checking. And he has informed the Police's Operation Ford.

 

We urge you to cross-check the information you have received about the election. 

Please read our leaflets and letters delivered to your address. 

And the information on this website and on our social media. They all contain the truth and an imprint that shows that we are accountable for what we say and print.

 

The Dola AI chatbot in question is not accountable. 

The AI chatbot has made serious errors.

The AI chatbot has no imprint. 

There is nobody to complain to at Dola, it seems. 

AI chatbots seem to be able to intervene in these elections without any regulation whatsoever. 

 

Andrew says: 

 

 

 

"It's very, very concerning. I am furious about this - not just about my election, but also because I am a Computer Scientist and my business PopeyMon is a tech business. 

I am a Member of tbe British Computer Society and we have a Code of Conduct. Obviously those responsible don't have standards.

The regulators and authorities are not stopping the AI chatbots from spreading lies about the election. I've asked them to intervene firmly and urgently.

I am working very hard to get elected, and I know from my hard work that many voters are backing me and putting up election posters and boards, but voters are being misled by this so-called "AI".

It has to stop NOW, but postal voters have already cast their ballots with this misleading information out there. It's very worrying."

 

Contact us if you are not sure, or want to ask questions. 

 

Here is some of the fake news that Andrew found.

For Redbridge ward: 

 

AI ChatBot Fails to Give Accurate Information on Redbridge 2026 Candidates
for Southampton City Council

Image: Southampton Independents (AP) 

 

AI ChatBot FAIL 1. Andrew Pope's candidacy for the Independent Network is completely missing from the list.  

AI ChatBot FAIL 2. In the Redbridge ward that Andrew is standing in, it states that sacked Labour councillor Lee Whitbread is standing. 

As reported exclusively by Southampton Independents - weeks before other local media caught up - from information that Andrew obtained from various sources, Lee Whitbread was sacked by Labour. 

Another candidate was chosen by Labour, someone with no experience and no name recognition on the doorstep or in the area - again, as confirmed by us. They are not shown on the list.

AI ChatBot FAIL 3. When asked who the candidates are, it displays completely incorrect information and shows photos of some random people from the Internet.

 

For Bevois ward:  

AI Chatbot Giving Out Almost Totally Wrong Information on Election Candidates
in Southampton City Council elections 2026
Image: Southampton Independents (AP)

AI Chatbot FAIL 4. Only ONE of the candidates in the Bevois ward is correct. The rest have wrong names, wrong candidates or wrong parties, or candidates are missing. 

The AI Chatbot ALMOST COMPLETELY GETS IT WRONG. It is wrong in so many ways as to be totally untrustworthy.

 

We say again, there are strict laws and regulations around election communications, and so there should be.

Yet somehow an AI chatbot can turn up and put out fake and misleading information just days before the Southampton City Council elections. And the authorities have not stopped it.

We have told the Southampton Returning Officer and the Electoral Commission. And the Police's Operation Ford. 

How much will this affect the elections?

We ask people to check the sources of information and to check your sources. 

Our website contains quality information and an imprint, as does all of our election material and social media. 

We stick to the Independent Network's Martin Bell principles to keep local people informed and look after local people. The big parties look after themselves and Westminster. 

 

The OFFICIAL list of candidates for all wards is published by the Southampton Returning Officer Jillian Kay at Southampton City Council. It is at the link here. 

 

 

RESIDENT ACTION: Help Us To Hold Labour Councillors To Account for Extending the Tories' Failed Roads and Pavements Contract

 

Labour's Highway Robbery - Councillors Bung Balfour Beatty ANOTHER £60 MILLION

Labour or Tory, same old story. We've been saying this for a decade now. Southampton people say it back to us on their doorsteps, on social media and in their emails. People agree and are deserting Labour and the Tories in their droves. 

The state of our City's roads is another glaring example of Labour's failures since 2012, when they took control of the Council. They've had thirteen years in power, with the Tories having just one year.

Andrew Pope invented "Guess the Pothole" in 2017 to bring attention to the terrible state of our roads. He brought it back this year, because NINE YEARS LATER, they haven't improved. The rubber ducks are fun, but they bring a serious point that the contract has failed Southampton, despite the huge amount of public money spent on it.

Residents want the Balfour Beatty contract CANCELLED - a decision which our independent colleagues in Herefordshire Council have told us, has already been done. 

But Labour has allocated £60 MILLION to a company that has repeatedly admitted blacklisting - despite Councillor Andrew Pope changing the procurement rules of the Council when last a councillor, to prohibit blacklisting.

 

Extension, not Cancellation - IN SECRET

As exclusively investigated and reported by our Co-Founder Andrew Pope, the Labour-run Council has EXTENDED the failing roads and pavements contract with Balfour Beatty. The Council call it the Highways Service Partnership. 

But there was no fanfare. As exclusively confirmed by Andrew Pope's questions to Council officers, there was no media release of the extension. 

The decision was done in the Council Chamber in secret, with the public not allowed to see the details or hear any debate or ask questions about the detail. This is YOUR MONEY. The Head of Legal allowed this to be done. Do you agree that this is wrong?

The Council's so-called "Transparency Report" was hard to find. It was published in the tiniest writing that had to be zoomed into by 300% to be able to read. Buried in there, Andrew found the £60 million figure and asked Council officers why it was so hidden, and why it wasn't made clearer. 

 

Council's Refusal of Cancellation - They Say It's All in the Past

As exclusively revealed, Council officers have REFUSED Andrew Pope's request on behalf of Southampton residents to CANCEL the contract. 

Andrew asked for this because residents say that the contract has failed for sixteen years since 2010, and because Balfour Beatty blacklisted workers. 

The Council claims that blacklisting is all in the past, so it's OK. Various unions including Unite have said that blacklisting is continuing. Is there another secret list, the same as the Economic League and Consulting Association.

So we have exclusively revealed which Labour councillors voted FOR this extension. They would have had to stand up in the Council chamber and said "For!" when each of them was asked by the Lord Mayor for their vote.

As in our previous article, they were:

"From the Minutes of the meeting, you can see it was Labour councillors only. This INCLUDES the two now Labour MPs, Satvir Kaur and Darren Paffey:

"NOTE: NOTE: FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS: Councillors Allen, Barnes-Andrews, Blatchford, Bogle, M Bunday, Cox, Denness, Evemy, Fielker, Finn, A Frampton, Y Frampton, Goodfellow, Greenhalgh, Kataria, Kaur, Kenny, Keogh, Lambert, Leggett, Letts, McCreanor, McEwing, Mintoff, Noon Paffey, Payne, Quadir, Renyard, Savage, Shields, Ugwoeme, Whitbread, Winning and T Bunday." 

 

Andrew Pope says: 

 

Andrew Pope on BBC South Today when councillor
Image: Southampton Independents (CT)

  

We have provided the councillors' names, and now we also provide web links to their councillor pages on the Council website, so that you can email them and ask them why. 

That is how our democracy is supposed to work, isn't it? 

Elected representatives must be held accountable for their decisions on behalf of the people of Southampton. Otherwise this looks like a highway robbery by Labour.

Tell us what they say. 

Tell us if they don't respond.

Southampton Independents is a voluntary organisation. It was founded by residents for residents.

We listen to residents. We act with residents.

If elected to the Council again on 7th May, I will have more powers to get answers for residents on the roads and pavements. And I will continue my campaign to get the Balfour Beatty contract CANCELLED!"

 

The Councillor web page is here. Just click the councillor's photo and you can then see their email address.

The format for Southampton councillor email addresses is "councillor" then a dot/full stop then their initial for their first name, then a dot/full stop, then their surname, then "@southampton.gov.uk".

So for the Leader of the Council and Shirley ward councillor Alex Winning (at least until Friday 8th May), it is:

councillor.a.winning@southampton.gov.uk

For Councillor Simon Letts, who was responsible for that year's budget, which the spending is part of, it is

councillor.s.letts@southampton.gov.uk 

And so on...

Let us know how you get on, by contacting us here. 

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Mansel Park Bomb/Explosive Device - Council Chief Executive Defends Council

 

Andrew Pope at Mansel Park
Photo: Southampton Independents (CT)

 

On 12th April, an explosive device was found by a metal detectorist in Mansel Park. It was later destroyed in a controlled explosion by the Army Bomb Squad.

Since then, local residents told Redbridge ward candidate Andrew Pope that they were very worried, as they had been in the area shortly before. And including with their families.

Andrew was worried for them, and because he was also at the exact site of the find with a colleague, just days before (see photo above).

Added to that is the fact that this was the site near where the play area used to be. Now there is just a climbing frame.

Immediately after the incident, Andrew asked the Chief Executive of the Council the following questions:

 

"Why did it take a metal detectorist to find something which should have been checked and found by the authorities (namely, Southampton City Council, as it is your land)?

Wasn't there a play area near where the device was found?

Was this turned up when the play area was removed?"

 

No reply was received. Not even an acknowledgement of receipt.

Andrew had to chase the Chief Executive, twice, to get a response.

Eventually a response was received from the Chief Executive today, almost three weeks after the bomb was found:

"As you may suspect I wanted to gather the facts before responding to you and it has taken some time to do so. From my emergency planning colleagues, I understand that while this matter was not reported to us, the appropriate agencies were contacted by the individual and the ordnance made safe which is good news.

 

Whilst the Council carries out routine visual inspections of its open spaces it does not search for buried ordnance by way of invasive or other means, it would be impractical to do so. If ordnance is found either by Council staff or reported to us by residents there are strict escalation procedures via Emergency Planning and as you will appreciate these involve partners such as the police and army if appropriate. 

 

In the circumstances I am comfortable that the Council takes a responsible and appropriate approach to dealing with such matters and acts in line with both professional advice and as other local authorities do."

 

What do you think of the Chief Executive's response? 

 

Do you think residents will be reassured by it? Are you?

 

Do you think the Council could do more to protect residents and workers on their land from explosives?

 

Or do you think we are asking too much?

 

 

Andrew says: 

 

"I am disappointed in the Chief Executive's response, and how long and how much effort it took to get it. I respect the emergency planning function at the Council from previous very positive dealings with them.

But I do not know why other local media have not asked these questions about something which is worrying a lot of park users and Council staff too. It's all a bit of a mystery.

I do not think it is too much for Council workers and contractors to look out for bombs or other dangers on Council land, when conducting work. They surely do, but somehow this was missed. Why and how?

I am worried for the public and for Council workers. I understand these things - if a war explosive is what it was - by nature are hidden but was it inadvertently churned up by works and missed. If so, why? And could anything more have been done? If it could then it should.

At Southampton Independents and the Independent Network, we listen to residents and act on their concerns. We do the investigations that other local media do not, and inform the Southampton public about important and urgent issues. We are volunteers. They are paid."

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Residents at Labour-run Council Pensioner Block Allege Health and Safety Breaches By Council's Contractors

 

Labour-run Council Fails To Protect Pensioners

Labour-run Southampton City Council has faced allegations of health and safety breaches from residents of Rozel Court. The allegations relate to a lack of management of contractors working at the site. 

Independent Network Redbridge Ward candidate for the 7th May elections, Andrew Pope, has acted to help residents.

Rozel Court is two large blocks of pensioners and vulnerable people in the Channel Islands Estate in the north-west of our City.

Andrew says:

 

Andrew Pope with Election Board for Redbridge Ward
Image: Southampton Independents (SC)

 

"I was contacted after residents read my letters and leaflets that I had delivered to both blocks.

I started to investigate the allegations and spoke with several residents at Rozel Court. With a local resident, I delivered a letter to all flats to listen to residents' concerns.

The Police were involved in some of the allegations. I was quite concerned. These are elderly residents feeling at risk. It's not right.

I also spoke with Council officers from different departments, and the contractors on site.

I expressed my disappointment at some attempts to pass the buck. As a campaigner over 20 years, I take a very dim view of buck-passing and have ways of dealing with it. Officers of the Council know this and the contractors found this out very quickly.

As I was trained to do many years ago, I cross-checked the allegations made and tried to get all sides to the situation. That is fair to all sides and natural justice in our country.

I now have a clearer picture of the situation and am now pressuring the Council officers to improve the situation for residents. 

I am getting some co-operation from officers and the contractors now.

I will continue to do so, until I feel that residents' concerns are addressed.

Many Council residents complain that the Council does everything online and does not respond.

So to show how it can be done better than the Council, I printed my updates and with Southampton Independents colleagues, delivered an update by hand to residents.  

If elected on 7th May, I will have more powers to do so. Please vote for me and encourage everyone else who has a vote in Redbridge Ward to vote for me too."