THE GLASTONBURY ULTIMATUM: TRANSPARENCY OR ACCOUNTABILITY ⚖️

PREAMBLE: THE COMMUNITY MANDATE

"This Mandate is issued by the residents of Glastonbury in response to a systemic failure of governance, financial oversight, and public trust. Following the Statutory Recommendation (SR3) by external auditors and the collapse of the £2.29M Life Factory project, our community has suffered not only financial loss but profound human tragedy and the debt-ridden collapse of 26 local businesses.

We represent a unified body of 177+ verified signatories and the hundreds of residents of the Non-Bricks and Mortar (NBM) community who have been systematically marginalized. We no longer accept 'closed door' explanations or the '8-Family Fraud' that attempts to downsize a £1.46M Enabling Project while people suffer on the roadside.

We demand the unredacted truth to protect the remaining £23.6 Million of our town’s future. This petition calls for full disclosure on Town Deal spending, clarity on outstanding contractor payments, and urgent accountability following the Statutory Auditor’s warning of governance failures."

SECTION 1: GOVERNANCE & STATUTORY SAFEGUARDS

1.1 Statutory Audit Compliance (SR3): The External Auditor has issued a Statutory Recommendation (SR3), identifying that local management and governance arrangements were “not sufficiently robust.” We request sight of the formal Governance Response and the demonstrable corrective actions taken by the Council Executive to address these findings.
1.2 Financial Protections Inquiry: We request clarification on what financial protections (including performance bonds or insurance) were in place for Project 1 (Life Factory), and whether these remain valid in relation to outstanding local liabilities.

SECTION 2: CORPORATE EXPENDITURE VS. LOCAL LIABILITIES

2.1 Consultancy Spend & The £77M "Transformation" Context: While declaring a "Financial Emergency" and a £77,000,000 budget gap, the Council approved a contract with Newton Europe with a potential value of up to £20,000,000. We request an itemized justification for this external commitment...
2.2 Asset Disposals & Support Arrangements: We request clarity on recent asset disposals and the financial support/management fee arrangements for the private operator at Tor Leisure, particularly regarding the 125-year lease now held in administration.

SECTION 3: PROJECT DISCLOSURES & AUDIT TRAILS

3.1 Project 8 (Funding Allocation): We request a full financial breakdown of the £1.46M allocation and an audit trail of any re-profiling or reallocation decisions.
3.2 RBB Rental Income Transparency: We request a clear accounting of rental income generated by Buildings A & B and how this revenue is being allocated against project liabilities.
3.3 Asset Register: We request the official Asset Register for the “Green Initiative” portacabins and equipment purchased with public funds.
3.4 Land Use & Asset Protection: We demand full disclosure of leasehold restrictions on all Town Deal land. The community requires a written guarantee that no public land will be re-designated for private housing or commercial use in the event of project insolvency.
3.4 (b) Community Displacement Inquiry: We require an explanation for instances where land earmarked for community projects (including social housing) was declared 'surplus' and sold to private entities.
3.5 The "Ghost Build" & "Zombie Payment" Inquiry: We demand an explanation for the payments totaling £2,295,512... Specifically, we require an audit trail for the approx. £420,000 in 'Zombie Payments' that continued to flow into the project after the official 'pause' in January 2024. We require the names of the Officers/Executive who provided 'positive project assurance' while these red flags were ignored.

SECTION 4: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST & RESTITUTION

4.1 Disclosure of Connections: We demand full disclosure of all familial and business connections between the Town Deal Board and the directors of companies receiving funds (specifically Beckery Construction and Red Brick Building subsidiaries).
4.2 Restitution Strategy: We demand a formal 'Restitution Strategy' for the 26 local tradespeople left unpaid following the liquidation of Beckery Construction.

SECTION 5: ACCOUNTABILITY & WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION

5.1 Whistleblower Safeguards: We demand a formal 'Whistleblower Amnesty' and the waiving of all Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) for staff and contractors to ensure they can speak freely for the purpose of this audit.
5.2 The 'Proper Officer' Responsibility: We request the 'Professional Advice' records provided by the Town Clerk (The Proper Officer) regarding the approval of payments to Beckery Construction, to ensure their statutory duty to warn the Council of financial risks was fulfilled.
5.3 Witness Evidence: The residents' group has received credible testimony regarding the de-prioritization of community land. The identity of witnesses will remain confidential until an independent disclosure platform is established.

SECTION 6: FIDUCIARY DUTY & THE NOLAN PRINCIPLES

6.1 Duty of Care: We remind the Council Executive that they hold a fiduciary duty of care. We request confirmation of whether 'Director’s and Officer’s' (D&O) insurance has been reviewed following the SR3 Recommendation, and whether personal liability has been assessed.
6.2 The Nolan Principles: We demand the Board demonstrate adherence to the Seven Principles of Public Life: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, and Leadership.

ADDENDUM A: THE "GHOST BUILD" & GRANT FRAUD NOTICE

We formally put the Town Deal Board on notice regarding the £2.29M expenditure on Project 5 (The Life Factory) and the £1.46M failure of Project 8.

• The Violation: Drawing down central government funds (DLUHC) for projects that are "undeliverable" or "unviable" (as per the SWAP Audit) while failing to provide the "Enabling Infrastructure" for the NBM community constitutes Grant Fraud and Misrepresentation.

• The Demand: We demand a stay on all further Town Deal payments to external "Consultancy Firms" until the National Audit Office (NAO) has verified the "Value for Money" of the spent funds.

ADDENDUM B: THE "HUMAN RIGHTS SHIELD" (ARTICLE 8 & EQUALITY ACT)

The Council’s history of using PSPOs (Public Space Protection Orders) to evict residents without offering a viable alternative is a violation of Article 8 of the ECHR (The right to a home and private life) and the Equality Act 2010.

• Legal Warning: Any attempt to use an Injunction or Police force to obstruct the move to Bride’s Mound will be met with an immediate High Court Challenge for Judicial Review. We will argue that the Council is "Statutorily Barred" from eviction because it has misappropriated the funds meant to provide the very alternative it claims does not exist.

ADDENDUM C: THE "PERSONAL LIABILITY" CLAUSE (LIFTING THE VEIL)

We are moving away from "Corporate Complaints" to Personal Accountability.

• This Ultimatum is served to the individuals present today as members of the Town Deal Board.

• Under the Nolan Principles of "Openness" and "Honesty," we hold you personally responsible for the "Positive Project Assurances" sent to the Government.

• If it is found that the Board "pivoted" Project 8 money while knowing people were dying on the roadside, we will seek a Private Prosecution for Misfeasance in Public Office.

THE DEMANDS & OUTCOMES

1. Full disclosure of Town Deal financial decisions and unredacted audit trails.

2. A clear recovery plan and restitution strategy for the 26 affected local contractors.

3. An independent review of financial oversight and governance.

4. Immediate recognition of the Avalon CLT as the management body for the Bride's Mound relief site.

RESPONSE REQUEST: We request a formal written response to these forensic inquiries by May 26, 2026 (14 days following this handover). Failure to respond will be treated as a "Willful Default" on your Statutory Duties and will result in immediate escalation to the National Audit Office (NAO) and the Secretary of State.

SUBMISSION: This petition and ultimatum is formally delivered to the Council at the Town Hall on May 12, 2026.