forkmonkey wrote:
Maybe people here can shed light on this. From the
Birmingham Ideal Org Newsletter Issue 6:
Quote:
And we are already underway with an anti-drug campaign thanks to our Drug Free Marshals clearing away an alleyway formally [sic] used by drug users.
I've heard that this alleyway is between Moorcroft Road and Russell Road, and in reality has no connections to drug use. Can anyone confirm this?
Martin, maybe you can help? You were
quoted in the Mail last month as saying:
Quote:
They explained that they had to wait until they had enough cash to buy the building outright. [...] They have certainly got themselves in the good books of residents by clearing up some alleyways of litter in the area.
To explain some background to those comments that appeared in the local media.
I had a meeting with a representative of the Church of Scientology at Pitmaston on Wednesday 6th August 2008. This representative had e-mailed me asking if it would be possible to meet.
Prior to this e-mail, I knew that representatives of the Church of Scientology had attended meetings of the Russell Road Resident Association. At these meetings, the representatives had offered to clear up the alleyway in between Russell Road and Moorcroft Road. The members did this and having seen the before-and-after photographs they did a very impressive job.
Also, one member of the Russell Road Residents Association had been walked around the grounds of Pitmaston and explained by the Church of Scientology how they were going to care for these historic grounds – including desilting the quite sizable pond.
Coming back to my meeting on 6th August, you can appreciate that the Church of Scientology were already in the good books of the local residents.
I approached this meeting with an open mind. Obviously, I had seen the Panorama programme with John Sweeney – part 1 of 4 can be seen on YouTube at
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QuJlZ_f1594 . However, I have to accept that they are legal organisation within Britain and as a local Councillor I have to be seen to treat individuals and organisations equally and fairly.
At this meeting the representative on the Church of Scientology was very polite. He explained to me that the building was owned by Centrepoint and that they had an arrangement with them where Centrepoint would not sell the place to another organisation, while they gave the Church of Scientology time to raise the money to buy the place.
From my perspective, I explained that my role was to make sure everyone in the community got on happily together. If the residents of Russell Road were happy with the Church of Scientology as neighbours, then I was happy.
Since then the representative of the Church of Scientology has contacted me asking if any other alleyways need cleaning. I sugguested the alleyway between Moor Green Lane and Elizabeth Road – which they did. I then suggested the alleyway between Woodstock Road and Queenswood Road – which is a nightmare of an alleyway. I don’t think this has been done.
With the revelation that senior members of the Church of Scientology has in effect either owned or being control of the Pitmaston estate since 7th September 2007 has shed a new light on things.
I’m disappointed that Centrepoint Limited, which is owned by a senior member of the Church of Scientology split the estate and sold half of it to a property developer.
I’m disturbed by the mysterious ownership of the other half of the estate – namely the Pitmaston building and wood – by two off-shore Isle of Man companies. These two companies are in reality one company, since they have senior level members of the Church of Scientology as directors. The real owners of these two companies have been hidden by using nominee shareholders, which is legal in the Isle of Man.
I also want to make sure that when the Church of Scientology has been fund raising within their membership to buy Pitmaston, that they have been absolutely clear about who owns it and what they’re involvement in the Directorships has been. This is why I’m interested in seeing their Birmingham Org newsletters 1 to 5.