Labour put pressure on Tory council over Terminus House sale
General / Sat 7th Jun 2025 at 10:09am
HARLOW Labour have urged the Tory-run Harlow Council to take care of the local residents who face moving out of their homes at Terminus House in the town centre.
In what can only be described as a fractious hour at Thursday nights special cabinet and council meeting, the Labour group, fired question after question at the leader of Harlow Council, cllr Dan Swords.
The meeting was divided into five parts.
- Cabinet: Where Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet members discussed proposed sale of Terminus House.
- Cabinet: Private session where press and public were excluded as there was a discussion of commercially sensitive information.
- Council: Where all members could discuss above subject.
- Council: As per 2.
- Concluding remarks and vote on proposal.
The film below shows Labour, led by leader James Griggs, ask a number of questions on the proposed sale and what the council’s plans are to support residents.
In the end, the proposal to purchase Terminus House was voted for unanimously.
Seamus
2025-06-07 12:35:19
"Cabinet: Private session where press and public were excluded as there was a discussion of commercially sensitive". This isn't the first time this excuse has been used by the council to exclude media and concerned residents. You have to ask, if you can't tell us what you are doing with our money, is what you are doing, really in the peoples interests? No more media or public exclusions please. If you're not doing anything wrong, what are you hiding?
Frank
2025-06-07 13:05:54
Someone working for the council told me Dan is running the council as a one man show surrounded by yes people, no one is challenging him and what he wants he gets, no democracy in Harlow, no opposition, where is the money coming from? Don’t keep it a secret, it’s our money
Seamus
2025-06-07 18:08:13
I wonder if the council spending is matched by Discretionary expenditure powers Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972. section 3; Where a council has a statutory power restricted by a limitation or condition, section 137 cannot be used to evade the limitation or condition. An example of a limitation is the prohibition in section 13 of the Local Government Act 2003, which provides that a local council cannot mortgage or charge its property as security for a loan.
David Forman
2025-06-07 18:23:52
The Labour luvvies provided so much 'pressure' that they all voted for the purchase. A bit like being savaged by a dead sheep.
JingleBellBall
2025-06-07 22:30:02
Is it true that Labour was running Harlow Council when Terminus House was sold? What an idiotic decision if that was the case. Glad someone with some brains and business savvy has the backbone to buy it back and ensure that the local buildings are owned by Harlow Council.
Adrienne
2025-06-08 10:34:01
It is a odd,that all of a sudden a Yuppie village is been built-in Harlow. Redstone house residents homeless. The landlord let the residents live in those conditions. New building for yuppie village plans. Now more residents homeless. More building for yuppie village plans . You can see a bit of a smelly situation here .
Adrienne
2025-06-08 10:37:44
The problem with our council,it seems that even if though there are some that are prepared to speak,they get muffled by someone the motion goes through.Odd. I will investigate this odd phenomenon.
Adrienne
2025-06-08 10:43:58
Frank,when I went to a disability forum. It was a job for the public to get to speak. It was only afterwards that James Grigg and a few others helped people. They are behaving like Dan Is a masonic leader Vote for someone else. Someone who won't be silenced.That the answer. I would like to know who Dan's parent backers are?
Adrienne
2025-06-09 05:44:49
I am just saying that our council is being silenced. They are not allowed to say anything in public.Dan allow our councillors more freedom of speech please. Honestly,I don't really know how I am keeping my cool. Look,I have still got(I believe)my freedom of speech. So I would like to see everyone else being able to enjoy it too. This isn't some sort of dictatorship.This is England. We are renowned for being able to express ourselves. And boy have I tried to express myself recently. I hope you are all ok. I fully intend on expressing myself for the rest of my life. Please be kind to me .🥰🥰🥰
Marie
2025-06-10 15:35:04
I feel the council need to be completely transparent instead of hiding things from the public and taxpayers of this town.
Adrienne
2025-06-11 05:31:08
Thankyou Marie I know Cllr Tony Durcan was very upset a while ago.You know I remember when I councillors stepped out and stood by their constituents.It was a beautifully heartwarming act. I know that there is alot going on .But I feel a little more openness is needed in order ,for us little people who voted for you to have a little insight .Perhaps the right have a real bit of inclusion ,with a little more power to interact,understand, and have some real input. You know thankyou Editor for allowing us the people (me included And probably to you horror my bad spelling).Thankyou,for being Harlow's Rock.I know we have made a real difference in changing the world. And I must say I am very proud of a couple of your contributors.I know we have spoken about stuff that has been hidden from the Public eye for years. We have on this newspaper some of the bravest people I have every encountered. And we are making a real difference.I am so very grateful to you Ed.And the contributions. Also for Our government who seem to have at last seen that the power of the people does exist.And are finally,hopefully starting to listen. And it looks like you have a few more people to manage.xx
Frances Hobbs
2025-06-11 09:47:09
Human sacrifice for the sake of "progress". Terminus house may not be the prettiest building, or the safest place to live but for the current residents it is their home and for many, the first proper home they have had in a long time. They feel part of Harlow community and some are actively involved in improving the community. If it is necessary to rehouse the residents, this should be within Harlow not elsewhere. The Council hold the well being of these residents in their hands; how would Clr Dan feel if he had a family member living in Terminus House right now? These people matter; you cant just throw them away, out of sight out of mind. Its morally wrong.
Adrienne
2025-06-15 11:24:38
Frances well done for shining the light on the human rights of these people. Sometimes I think we are all numbers in a list. We are all human beings.And the actual consequences of making someone homeless has a knock on effect on their lives. Peoples lives can be destroyed at the snap of the fingers. Marriages break up .Jobs can be lost, children can lose parents. The power that is held over people can have tragic consequences.Suicide,mental health problems. I would prefer to live in a world that includes these peoples rights in it.
Sean Kelly
2025-06-19 11:13:37
It’s crazy how the council are buying Terminus House but Caridon are still actively trying to house more people in the building. To date I’ve seen adverts on many different sites isn’t it more important to house the people in the block already than putting more strain on the council, Caridon are showing they have zero respect for people’s welfare more than half of the residents in that building will be homeless and from an inside source no one has been given a next step or know when the eviction will be instated. Please stop this sort of housing Caridon are laughing all the way to the bank by allowing warehouse living in a place smaller than a lorry trailer it’s criminal to say the least. I fully believe caridon are setting themselves up for a huge court appearance especially from ex employees also from tenants made to live with mould and toxic cramped environments. If anyone wants to know what it’s really like being a Caridon employee I’m more than happy to share my experiences
Adrienne
2025-07-13 20:20:25
Please share feel free
Adrienne
2025-07-22 03:58:42
We should have had protection for these vulnerable people. No one should pay to live in a property that is not fit for purpose,but making them homeless and re-renting their homes,is a trick dodgy landlords do and have done for decades. How about this Take the property off them.Its either not safe as in Redstone house.Or the abuse of human rights as we have just seen with Caridon. But my big bug bear is this. My opinion is(only an opinion). Why are people complaining after the fact.I thought it was legislated already. Start by taking their unfit for purpose building off them.And give the rent which in effect people have been paying for an unfit house or room.Rebated back to them.Sounds fair to me. Then,refuse to let these so called landlords operate as a business, EVER AGAIN . WELL SAID ADRIENNE.THANKS.X
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