Post by Macmoish on Aug 4, 2011 6:31:29 GMT
Have no idea which Blackstone Lawyer
GUARDIAN/Matt Scott - The Digger
Grounds for concern
West Ham United trumpeted on their website a barrister's report exonerating them for putting the Olympic Park Legacy Company employee Dionne Knight on their payroll. That they did so before the OPLC's decision to award them tenancy rights to the Olympic Stadium in favour of Tottenham Hotspur has rather exercised Spurs, who will go to the high court to renew their plea for a judicial review this month. The unnamed barrister who produced the report was from Blackstone Chambers and though undoubtedly "independent", his fees seem to have been paid by West Ham. Blackstone Chambers, meanwhile, is a sponsor of the London 2012 Olympics.
www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/aug/03/uefa-broadcast-rights-euro-2016
West Ham Official Site West Ham United statement
An independent barrister's investigation has revealed its findings regarding preferred bidder status
03.08.2011
An independent barrister's investigation has found nothing that compromises the integrity of the decision to make West Ham United the preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium.
The club tasked external counsel from the highly prestigious Blackstone Chambers to conduct the in-depth process.
The inquiry was launched last month and considered the work undertaken by Dionne Knight on behalf of the club in relation to the procurement of a construction partner after the 2012 Olympic Games.
It concluded firmly that Ms Knight's work had in no way affected the integrity of the joint West Ham United-London Borough of Newham bid which was approved by the Olympic Park Legacy Company.
The findings - which completely exonerate the club over the matter and showed it acted lawfully at all times - came after the consideration of all relevant correspondence and documentation, along with statements from all relevant officials. The barrister had total and unfettered access to all emails and other documents sent and received, along with any information required.
The report found no confidential information was passed by the OPLC to West Ham United through Ms Knight. Similarly, it found that no person at the club has at any point considered themselves to have an improper source of information or influence within the OPLC.
With regard to Ms Knight, by far the bulk of the invoiced work took place after the decision of the OPLC to confer preferred bidder status and consisted of the transparent preparation of extensive procurement-related documentation.
West Ham United have handed over the contents of the entire independent investigation to the OPLC as they are conducting their own separate inquiry into the matter.
Separately, West Ham remain in contact with Police with regard to the serious matter of a private investigator acting unlawfully, reportedly under instruction by Tottenham Hotspur.
This matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness by the club, especially given the methods claimed to have been used to obtain this personal information in relation to reported breaches of the Data Protection Act as a result of the unlawful acquisition of bank and telephone records belonging to senior executives at the club and the OPLC.
This activity, if proven, constitutes serious criminal conduct and can attract custodial sentences for perpetrators of the crime. In addition to the Police, the matter is also now in the hands of the Information Commissioner's Office, which investigates allegations of data protection offences.
www.whufc.com/articles/20110803/west-ham-united-statement_2236884_2408810
GUARDIAN/Matt Scott - The Digger
Grounds for concern
West Ham United trumpeted on their website a barrister's report exonerating them for putting the Olympic Park Legacy Company employee Dionne Knight on their payroll. That they did so before the OPLC's decision to award them tenancy rights to the Olympic Stadium in favour of Tottenham Hotspur has rather exercised Spurs, who will go to the high court to renew their plea for a judicial review this month. The unnamed barrister who produced the report was from Blackstone Chambers and though undoubtedly "independent", his fees seem to have been paid by West Ham. Blackstone Chambers, meanwhile, is a sponsor of the London 2012 Olympics.
www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/aug/03/uefa-broadcast-rights-euro-2016
West Ham Official Site West Ham United statement
An independent barrister's investigation has revealed its findings regarding preferred bidder status
03.08.2011
An independent barrister's investigation has found nothing that compromises the integrity of the decision to make West Ham United the preferred bidder for the Olympic Stadium.
The club tasked external counsel from the highly prestigious Blackstone Chambers to conduct the in-depth process.
The inquiry was launched last month and considered the work undertaken by Dionne Knight on behalf of the club in relation to the procurement of a construction partner after the 2012 Olympic Games.
It concluded firmly that Ms Knight's work had in no way affected the integrity of the joint West Ham United-London Borough of Newham bid which was approved by the Olympic Park Legacy Company.
The findings - which completely exonerate the club over the matter and showed it acted lawfully at all times - came after the consideration of all relevant correspondence and documentation, along with statements from all relevant officials. The barrister had total and unfettered access to all emails and other documents sent and received, along with any information required.
The report found no confidential information was passed by the OPLC to West Ham United through Ms Knight. Similarly, it found that no person at the club has at any point considered themselves to have an improper source of information or influence within the OPLC.
With regard to Ms Knight, by far the bulk of the invoiced work took place after the decision of the OPLC to confer preferred bidder status and consisted of the transparent preparation of extensive procurement-related documentation.
West Ham United have handed over the contents of the entire independent investigation to the OPLC as they are conducting their own separate inquiry into the matter.
Separately, West Ham remain in contact with Police with regard to the serious matter of a private investigator acting unlawfully, reportedly under instruction by Tottenham Hotspur.
This matter is being treated with the utmost seriousness by the club, especially given the methods claimed to have been used to obtain this personal information in relation to reported breaches of the Data Protection Act as a result of the unlawful acquisition of bank and telephone records belonging to senior executives at the club and the OPLC.
This activity, if proven, constitutes serious criminal conduct and can attract custodial sentences for perpetrators of the crime. In addition to the Police, the matter is also now in the hands of the Information Commissioner's Office, which investigates allegations of data protection offences.
www.whufc.com/articles/20110803/west-ham-united-statement_2236884_2408810