A STATEMENT OF FACTS CONCERNING AN

This explanation of an incident that happened in the gardens of ******* Court Aged Persons' Scheme was prompted by the Scheme Co-ordinator, and her manager, not being able to resolve an unsettling situation that occurred in the grounds of ******* Court.

Additional information is included about other facts because, in the author's opinion, lies were told, and issues avoided.

To add weight to the evidence presented comments on the general management of ******* Court is given.

Most readers will be amazed that such a minor incident can be expanded to fill a fifteen-page document. Some may also suggest that I am paranoid. Suffice it to say that I come from a long line of campaigners, and we have the reputation of fighting for right. Amusing stories that support this will be found on my web site, www.TedAylward.com where I relate several of my 'battles' with BDC.

Am I a trouble maker, or a trouble shooter?

The main people involved (some names partly changed to give some anonymity) :-

The author, Edward C Aylward, 70 years old. Resident of ******* Court for seven and a half years. Also referred to as 'Ted'. I am a Fellow of the Institute of Management Services (retired), with twenty-five years relevant experience in management, management training, problem solving, conciliation and internal audit. For two years, I had a full-time hypnotherapy & counselling practice. Before retiring, I ran my own accountancy business for eleven years.

The Scheme Co-ordinator, Mrs Eileen Warden, who has been at ******* Court for about eight years. Prior to this she had a similar position in Wickford. Also referred to as 'Eileen'.

Mrs Joyce Manager-one, Supported Housing Officer. (Eileen's manager?) Also referred to as Joyce.

Mrs Joan, 'runs' the social club. Also referred to as 'Joan'.

Mrs Lillian, also known as 'Lil', and is the mother of Eileen. She is also a close friend of Ted.

I understand, and fully accept, that issuing this document will make my position here untenable. As it will be for any other AP scheme.

Considering my health, I am looking upon this dissertation, as my Swan Song ... my valedictory, and am honoured by your attention!

So ............... read on, and be entertained ......................

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THE MAIN INCIDENT

(related up to the time of the manager's visit)

On Tuesday, 15 June 2004, in the morning, I saw Eileen in the gardens, I wished her good morning. She did not reply, so I wished her good morning again. She turned to me, gave me a withering stare, and said, "I am not going to talk to you again." The person with her, Joan, shouted out to me that I was mad, and Eileen said to Joan that she agreed.

That conduct, coming from a person who is charged with my comfort and well being, shocked me, and caused me great distress and illness. I have a heart condition, and this is documented in my "Sheltered Housing Support Plan" signed by Eileen and her manager, Mrs. Joyce Manager-one. Eileen is well aware that stress will exacerbate my condition as she has attended to me after I have pulled the intercom cord. Since the incident, I have had to take a beta blocker, GTN spray and sleeping tablets in order to deal with my stress.

After waiting until the evening for Eileen to contact me and explain, I wrote a note to her asking her to advise me, in writing, of the matters that caused her to make those disturbing comments, so that I may respond.

During that day, and the next, I placed on record, on the computer, a statement of what had happened. That file is available for analysis as a contemporaneous record of the occasion.

Eileen should not have treated me in that manner. She should have come to me in my home and explained in a gentle manner what wrong I had done.

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MY NOTE TO EILEEN

(delivered, by me, to her house at about 5:00pm Tuesday 15^th June 2004)

This morning when I saw you in the gardens, I wished you good morning. You did not reply, so I wished you good morning again. You turned to me and said, "I am not going to talk to you again." The person with you shouted out to me that I was mad, and you said to her that you agreed.

That conduct, coming from a person who is charged with my comfort, and well being, was unsettling, and has, all day, caused me great worry and discomfort.

I wish you to advise me, in writing, of the matters that caused you to make those disturbing comments, so that I may respond.

In keeping with your wishes, it is better that we do not meet, but that you advise me, in writing, of any information.

I have placed on record the events that have taken place since last Saturday.

If you feel that you are not competent to deal with this, may I suggest that you call upon the services of an independent conciliator?

My wish is that this matter be concluded speedily and fairly. If that is not possible then I shall resolve the matter using alternative channels.

I have not put copies of this letter to any other addressees.

Yours,

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Why did I not contact her verbally? She had said that she did not want to talk to me. In addition, I was puzzled, (and afraid?), of the motives behind her behaviour.

Also, in the talk on Friday 25^th June, she says that she saw that I was upset. Why then did she not come to me to see how I was? (The Friday notes of the recording are below)

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FIRST CONTACT WITH THE VANGE OFFICE

Because of my concerns about validating any information, I recorded the phone calls. The main one with Mrs Manager-one is in its entirety. The others I recorded just one side of the conversation.

I had decided earlier to leave calling Eileen's manager until Friday. However, because I was not feeling well, I called the Vange office on Thursday - 17^th June. I spoke to a woman, and asked if I could speak to Mrs Manager-one. I was told that she was out. I said that it was important. I explained to her that an unsettling situation had occurred at ******* Court between Eileen another tenant and me. Also, before things escalated, that I would like to talk to a senior person, so that we could resolve the matter quickly and amicably. I also asked if Mrs Manager-one, or another senior person, would come and visit or me.

I was put through to 'Anna' Mrs Manager-one's assistant. I explained the situation to her. She told me that Mrs Manager-one would be out until about 3:30pm. I apologised to her and said that I was under stress.

When I called back, I was put through to Anna. I asked to speak to Mrs Manager-one and was told, "OK, I'll get her." After a wait, I was told that she was in a meeting, and was off the next day. My feeling at that point was that I was being given the 'run around'.

The next time that I phoned, the woman who answered did not ask who I was, said that Mrs Manager-one was there, and that she would get her. I waited a good while, and when she came back I was told that she was at a meeting, and that Anna said that she would get back to me as soon as she can, but that she could not guarantee that it would be that day. I then said that I would put the details in writing. I put down the phone, and within a minute or so, Mrs Manager-one phoned me! The first thing that she said was that she did not want to discuss anything on the phone, and I agreed.

She said that she was coming to see me the next Tuesday at 3:00pm. In desperation I said, "As long as that!" She just replied that she would be bringing 'Mrs Manager-two', the Estates Officer. I then asked her of the details of her superiors, and whether she was indeed Eileen's immediate superior. She said that she was. I then told her that I might, over the weekend, send copies of documents to the managers she had mentioned, and ask them to get involved. Then I explained to her that I wished to get the matter resolved soon, that I was upset and that I had been very bad over the last two days. Despite this, it did not affect her decision to leave it for five days before she came to see me.

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VISIT OF MRS MANAGER-ONE

(Tuesday 22^nd June 2004)

On Mrs Joyce Manager-one, and Mrs Manager-two, Estates Officer, coming in, I asked if it was OK for me to record the meeting, and they agreed. I explained that I was still not feeling well, and that I had been taking sleeping pills for the past three nights, and had also been taking heart medication. (I had not had to resort to this level of medication for about four years.)

The meeting lasted about fifty minutes. I did most of the talking. It is not possible for me to transcribe the whole, but a CD of the meeting is available.

The main points, itemised :-

1. When I asked Joyce if she had seen Eileen, she said that she had not, but that she had spoken to her on the phone.

2. She said that she had not seen the note that I had put to Eileen. Later Mrs Manager-two admitted that they had.

3. I said, "I am completely thrown. You have come here with completely no knowledge of the matter at all?" She repeated that Eileen had given her some details on the phone.

4. I told her what had happened on the Thursday previous, when I had phoned her office several times to have someone come to see me. I asked her if it had been relayed to her that I was very upset, and she replied that she had indeed been told.

5. I explained that it was not acceptable to leave me 'stewing' for five days. She said that it was because of her workload. I said that this was unacceptable.

6. At this, I expressed the opinion that there was no point in continuing. She countered with, "I wish to have your side of the story." Then I decided to continue.

7. Then I gave her my background, and explained how the relationship between Eileen and the residents was always informal, and friendly.

8. I told her how I was seen as 'God's little helper' in that I had always helped my neighbours a lot.

9. To explain why Joan had said that I was mad, I explained Joan's position here, and likened her to 'Peggy Mount', the actress, who played harridans in films. I went on to relate how when I told Joan that I was going to have a musical evening, outside the social club aegis, she became loud and bossy, and made an effort to take over the event.

10. At last, I got to the main topic, and told her of the events of that Tuesday morning & the follow up, including some of my observations & opinions.

11. This is the point at which it was admitted that she had seen the note to Eileen at the *******s Estate Office.

12. Here I told her that I had written nine pages of notes about what had happened, plus another two pages being prepared. I asked if they had seen my web site. Mrs Manager-two said that she had heard of it, but had not seen it. I suggested, with humour, that it would had been advantageous for them to have had a look at my pages regarding my dealing with BDC.

13. To try to avoid the escalation of these events, I explained that I always started each 'campaign' by being friendly and helpful to all involved. But, things have always been escalated because people saw me as a kindly fellow, and tried to take advantage of me. I emphasised that I did not fight lost causes.

14. Joan asked if Eileen had been talking to me during the past week. I informed her that Eileen had given me morning calls, but that they were 'muted' compared to her usual call. She had not spoken to me socially, which was not normal.

15. I told of the incident of the previous Thursday. Eileen came to the door and gave a 'bailiff's' knock. This scared me. I took my time to answer. When I opened the door I said that I was going to meet her manager. She at once said that she was not going to talk to me, but that she had a note for me from Scotland. I explained that I had had plans to move to Scotland, but that I had changed them, and was staying. Also, that Eileen knew this. She gave me the note. That was all the contact I had with Eileen.

16. Then I said what I wanted. I wanted my pride back, and my reputation restored.

My family motto is "Verus et fidelis semper". I wanted to know why Eileen had treated me like that. If I had done something wrong, then she should have spoken to me, not say that she was not going to speak to me.

My neighbours who looked upon me as 'God's little helper' now would not speak to me. Joan had spoken to them all, and they were scared of 'Bodica'! I related other incidents of how Joan terrifies people.

17. I said that what had happened was a fascinating text book case of group dynamics, and that a re-grouping had taken place.

18. What was needed was that my friends should have the truth explained to them by a person in authority.

19. My thoughts at that point made me ask if Mrs. Manager-two was at the same, or higher level in the hierarchy as Joyce. Joyce said that they were of an equal level. I explained that we should not be discussing Eileen if Mrs Manager-two was the same level as her.

20. At this point I tried to develop what motive I could have for making this 'mountain out if a molehill'.

21. I observed that Eileen could not admit to what she had said, as it could be cause for dismissal.

22. I went into the fact that we all have a flaw. That, Eileen had the same fault that I had. We both talk a lot. The difference was that that in my professional life, I was not over familiar when talking to people with whom I worked. Eileen was.

23. I asked Joyce, "Are you the manager who is trying to do her (Eileen) down. If you are, I am not going to be the stick with which you will beat her over the head." Joyce asked who had given me that information. I would not say whom. She said that it was not she. To which I replied that it must have been one of the managers above Eileen.

24. Joyce said that she had not had any complaints about Eileen. I said that she had. A complaint had been made, to a manager, that Eileen had had 'inappropriate relationships' with residents. Joyce said that she had not had that conversation with Eileen.

25. Joyce then concluded by saying that her main worry was that Eileen had, in some way failed in her duty towards me.

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MANAGER'S LETTER

Below is Mrs Manager-one's reply dated 23^rd June, received on Saturday 26th June, with a second class franking. Mrs Joyce Manager-one is not just a busy person, but a very miserly one.

You will note that Eileen said that she would speak to me later. She did not.

It is well worth repeating here, that in the conversation that I recorded on Thursday 24^th June that she does indeed say that she intended to speak to me at a later moment.

She said to Joyce, and she said to me that she intended to speak to me. She did not, why not?

See my notes of the recording below - my highlights.

Dear Mr Aylward,

RE. COMPLAINT REGARDING SHELTERED SCHEME CO-ORDINATOR AND

OTHER TENANTS

I have now spoken with Eileen Warden regarding your comments at our meeting on 22/6/04 at you home. She denies ignoring you or saying that she would not speak to you again. She also denies that she agreed with Joan when she inferred that you were mad. She states that she has continued to call you each day and that she has not ignored you. Mrs Warden says that she was dealing with Joan when you came up to say 'good morning," she says that she said she was dealing with Joan and would speak to you later.

As I stated at our meeting Mrs Warden is an experienced and professional Scheme Co-ordinator and I am satisfied that she has not failed in her duties to you. I regret that there is discord at *******s Court. However, it is up to Residents to sort these issues out between them amicably. If this cannot be achieved the Council does have a mediation service. Mrs Warden has remained impartial and has adhered to the Councils Equal Opportunity policy. This policy states that harassment of any kind will not be tolerated, and this applies to all parties involved in this issue. I am sorry that you felt that had not dealt with your complaint promptly enough, I assure you that I came out to see you as quickly as I could. As I stated at our meeting is unusual for the Council to receive a complaint about Mrs Warden. I did deal with it promptly and give your complaint my urgent attention because of this If you are not satisfied with this reply I enclose herewith a copy of the Councils Complaints Procedure.

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Notes on the conversation I recorded between Eileen and me at about 9:30am on Thursday 24^th June. Recording here.

I was on my way out for a walk, and to get some shopping. The previous evening I had left a note for Eileen, at her office, saying that I did not wish to have a morning call. She did call me, and I told her of the note. She then said that she would see me later. I did not reply.

She was on the balcony as I went out and called out to me. I stopped and told her that I did not wish to be called. She asked why, and I repeated what I had said.

1. I said that she may come and see me at about 10:30. She replied that she was not coming to my flat and that if I wished to see her, then I had to go to her office. (Why?)

2. I asked if she had seen Joyce, and she confirmed that she had. Then I asked whether she would be talking about what I had said to Joyce. She replied, "No, I don't wish to discuss it with you." Twice I asked her why, and each time she just replied, "because I don't." (What was the point of our meeting in her office?)

3. I asked her what she had said to me on that Tuesday morning. She said that it was, "I can't speak to you at the moment." She went on to say, "I can't speak to two people at once, and you were the cause of the problem that I was speaking to Joan about, if you had left it for five minutes I would have come to saw (sic) you and asked what had went on."

(All I had said was, "Good morning ladies." What was the problem that I had caused Joan? I still do not know. If there was a problem, why had she not come to see me that Tuesday? Why had Joyce, during her investigation, not asked these questions?)

4. I asked her to repeat what she had said to me on Tuesday and she replied, "I can't speak to you at the moment, or something like that, I can't remember exactly." Then I said, "What was the intention of you asking me that?" She did not seem to understand what I meant. I explained. She then said that her intention was to speak to me at a later moment. I quizzed her ... "When?" She said, "When I had finished with Joan." I then reminded her that she had not spoken to me. She then said that I had stormed off out, and then stormed off back because I had taken offence. She then said that Joan had not said that I was mad, or that she had agreed. Joan supported her in this.

(If she thought that I was distressed, then there was a greater reason to see me promptly. She did not see me for the whole day.)

5. I then said that we had known each other for seven and half years and that she was lying to me. She denied lying.

After Eileen had told that she would not speak to me, I was shocked, and felt threatened. I stumbled to find a face saving comment. I said something inane referring to Margaret's close association with Joan. I waved and moved on

The main question to ask is, "Considering her opinion that I was upset, and her saying that she was coming to see me, why didn't she." This leading to me being upset and sending her the note. If she had come to see me at any time on that Tuesday, this document would never have been written. Even after receiving the note, all was not lost. She could still have made an effort to see me. She did not. QED?

After the conversation with Eileen on Thursday, I phoned the Vange office to speak to Joyce. I spoke to Anna, and gave her the details of what had been said between Eileen and me. Also, I dictated specific details of the conversation. I emphasised that I would be putting my case to the chief executive. Anna said that Joyce was very busy (again!?) and that it was unlikely that she would be able to get back to me.

On the Friday, before I got Joyce's, talented analysis of the problem, I had decided to let Eileen have sight of this document before I sent it out. A last attempt to resolve our differences. On reading Joyce's letter, I changed my mind.

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NOTES FOR ORIENTATION

On Tuesday 15^th June 2004, as I went to get a paper, Eileen, the warden, and Joan, and who runs the social club, were sitting at the garden table. As I passed, I said, "Morning, ladies!" As there was no reply, I said it again. Eileen turned round, and said, "I am not talking to you." This was obviously no joke. I was shocked, and felt threatened. I stumbled to find a face saving comment. I said something inane referring to Margaret's, close association with Joan. I waved and moved on. Joan shouted, as I walked away, "He's gone mad." Eileen replied, "Yes!"

My feeling, was that Eileen had abandoned her employment role as co-ordinator, and had chosen to 'hunt with the pack'. Why should she do this? Joan resigned from running the social club the day of the disputed words, and because of an altercation between Joan and me, at which Eileen's mother, Lil, was present. This would have placed Eileen in a difficult position, for there was no one who would do the job. She had to find a way of placating Joan, and knowing that I am a 'soft soul', chose me to be the 'sacrificial lamb'.

The events leading to the above unsettling behaviour of Eileen are as follows.

On Saturday 12^thJune, I contacted the warden via the intercom system, and asked if we could have a talk of about an hour. She was on duty for that day, but explained that she was preparing a birthday party for her husband and could not come to see me. We then arranged for her to come to me the next day, Sunday. Also, that I should call her when I was ready.

I asked for the chat for two reasons. Firstly, on the advice of the co-ordinator's mother, Lillian, to relate some disturbing observations that had come to my attention. Secondly, to seek advice, and encouragement, about a project I had in mind to organise a musical event for each Monday.

Having lived at ******* Court for seven and half years, I have built up a friendship with Eileen, and have been very grateful for her help on many occasions. Eileen has a very helpful and positive influence on all the tenants, and is well liked.

At various times Eileen has confided in me about other tenants' problems, and I have always thought that this was because she knew that I had specialist knowledge, and experience. At no time, considering my other impressions of her, did I see her as an indiscreet person.

About three weeks previously, I had confided in her mother, Lil, that I had been present when Eileen had disclosed personal information about a neighbour I know as 'Billy', and is a reclusive man. This was in the presence of Joan. This indiscretion was a few minutes after I had asked her about 'Billy', and she had replied, "Oh, no. I can't do that, it's confidential." Another tenant was there, but I can't recall who. I will not record the details of her indiscretion here, as this will just compound the indiscretion.

About a week later, I was again taken aback. I told Lil that a similar incident had occurred concerning Barbara. My main concern was that Eileen was placing herself in a compromising position with a noted 'bully', Joan, who runs the social club, and could pose a threat to Eileen. Joan had many times expressed her negative opinions of Eileen to me.

Joan will know of all the points raised in this document, and could be seen as a threat to Eileen.

Because of the complicated relationship problems, I told Lil that it was inappropriate for me to speak to her daughter directly, and asked Lil to convey the gist of what I had said to Eileen, and caution her. Lil, with emphasis, said that her strong advice that I should speak to her daughter direct.

Despite fully knowing the role relationship problem, I decided to put my 'friend's hat' on and give Eileen the full information, and if necessary guidance.

With trepidation, I welcomed Eileen on Sunday. I first explained the conflicting roles that we both had, and asked her whether she wished me to cross the boundary between being her friend, and being her tenant. I am not sure if she fully understood the ethics of what I was saying, as it had always seemed that she, (together with all co-ordinators?), had had little management training.

She agreed, and I adopted an advisory role. I related the details as above. It was obvious that she had little understanding of what had happened. She agreed that she had given the information about 'Billy', but that it was not personal. I said that she had left herself vulnerable to pressure from Joan if they had a 'bust up'.

During the chat on Sunday, Eileen told me that she had been 'spoken to', by her superiors, regarding her co-ordinator /tenant relationships. This had come about because of an attitude survey, during which four ******* Court tenants filled in survey forms. These purported to be anonymous, but were easily linked to a particular co-ordinator. One tenant criticised Eileen's relationships with tenants. The union rep was called in and the survey was abandoned. She said that otherwise it could have been serious for her, as one of the managers was "out to get me".

Eileen said something about being told off regarding telling tenants that wardens were to be taken away. I said that I had read that information somewhere. She was relieved, and surprised.

I gave my opinion of conducting an attitude survey using aged people, and it seemed to give Eileen comfort. Nevertheless, this is another example of Eileen discussing confidential council matters with a tenant.

To be honest, I was always flattered when she relayed information to me. I thought that it was because she respected my personal opinion. How wrong was I?

The talk with Eileen on Sunday, lasted for one hour fifty minutes. Only half an hour was taken up by discussing my proposal to have a musical evening.

We discussed, at length, Joan, who runs the social club.

Eileen was keen to get Joan off the committee, but feared what Joan would do for revenge. I counselled her to do nothing, other than to gradually distance herself from Joan. I said that considering the tension between Joan, and me, it was most likely that Joan would resign from the club. It could be said that we 'conspired' to get Joan off the committee! And, she did resign on the day of the disputed conversation!

Eileen told he that she had told Joan that she did not want her to go into the warden's office every morning, as it made people uneasy when they see Joan on their visits. This was in response to my advice that she should 'draw back' from Joan, but not antagonise her.

Eileen told me that she believed that Joan was such a bully because her mother was a dominating person, and belittled Joan when she was young. Her mother is now about 102. Joan was the team leader of a group of debt collectors. Although I knew of Joan's past job as she had told me, Eileen should not have mused over Joan's psychological problems with me. (How would I feel if it had been me?)

Eileen also told me that Joan had hunted out her neighbour, Margaret(2). She said, "Joan terrorised her. She was jealous of Margaret's garden, and decorating." I knew nothing of this. I thought that Margaret had moved to Enfield to be with her partner. It was inappropriate for this information to be given to me.

The booklet, "BDC Sheltered Housing" delivered to me on Friday 25^th June had this to say :

Irrespective of the words used on that Tuesday morning Eileen did not come to see me, thus I was placed under psychological stress. Eileen acknowledged this when she spoke to me on Friday 25^th June when I recorded our conversation.

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