Carly Burd Salty Allotment #2 More red flags than Beijing on May Day.

[pumbilical cord]

I wish I knew where to make a complaint because this is depressing. No, it's not Captain Tom family level shenanigans, but gullible idiots gave their money in good faith and she's sitting about doing what?

I'm so fed up of the media bigging people up without due dilligence, then ignoring them after, see also Jack.

 

[Seaford Haggington]

When/if the CIC conversion takes place there will be some limited protections.

I do wonder why that has taken so long. She either sat on it (most likely) or perhaps made a mistake in the application. The conversion is more onerous than a fresh CIC application and requires additional documents.

 

[Copacapybara]

Honestly I'm so close to making a complaint but I don't even know where to start.

Companies House won't go anywhere as the current company record is accurate and up to date. "She said she was turning it into a CIC but she hasn't" will get a "until she files the paperwork we can't do anything" response.

Adult social services at Harlow Council? Is this public humiliation of stakeholders (thank you, @Seaford Haggington) a good enough hook to hang a complaint on?

The Information Commissioner? I'm sure she's not careful enough with the data she holds.

The police? I've got no evidence that funds donated have been misused, I just think they probably have.

Just Giving will say they're just the platform and the fundraiser was set up in accordance with their rules.

Edit: what about safeguarding? Would this be enough of an issue for them to get involved?

I think that getting vulnerable people to compete on a public page for prizes could definitely be phrased as a safeguarding issue! Even if they just have an eye on her as a result it’s something. I agree that GDPR related complaints would make sense too. I wonder if there’s a financial comeback such as fines etc.

 

[VeniVidiVicki]

More timeline and PayPal shenanigans

The GoFundMe was set up last December. It’s really difficult to scroll back through donations and see how much was going in at that point. But I think it’s pretty safe to say that her own bank account has been linked to this since then.

Despite the GoFundMe, she continues to plug her PayPal account

She repeatedly says she’s going to post the receipts but never does

In April, she’s still plugging her PayPal, despite thousands now rolling into the gofundme. She says she’s going to hire a whacker plate. Not sure if she ever did?

In May, there’s a different email address linked to the PayPal. This is the only shopping list I can find. She bought 6 of lots of things on offer. This is the only ‘receipt’ I can see.

Her accounts will be a bleeping mess meaning more £££ going to her accountants. Some of her more reputable supporters have clearly distanced themselves since her failure to set up the CIC.

I would like some of the gofundme supporters to ask for their money back. She’s not done what she said she would with the cash.

 

[Livia Fantasy]

Carly Burd: Thief

 

[Seaford Haggington]

I would like some of the gofundme supporters to ask for their money back. She’s not done what she said she would with the cash.

She said in July she would update the GFM with progress. But there hasn't been any.

The people who donated deserve to know what happened to their money. She should find someone more literate to help explain clearly what she is doing.

 

[Lazarus]

I think that getting vulnerable people to compete on a public page for prizes could definitely be phrased as a safeguarding issue! Even if they just have an eye on her as a result it’s something. I agree that GDPR related complaints would make sense too. I wonder if there’s a financial comeback such as fines etc.

ICO?
and (sorry, I’ve said it before) the fundraising regulator?

 

[Witchfinder Sargeant]

ICO?
and (sorry, I’ve said it before) the fundraising regulator?

I've just looked at the ICO's complaints process and they require you to contact the organisation first, so I'm out (my personal rule is "no touching the poo," if I'm mithering about you here I don't contact you there).

The Fundraising Regulator also requires you to make a complaint to the organisation first.

 

[lilykestrel]

I've just looked at the ICO's complaints process and they require you to contact the organisation first, so I'm out (my personal rule is "no touching the poo," if I'm mithering about you here I don't contact you there).

View attachment 2605393

The Fundraising Regulator also requires you to make a complaint to the organisation first.

View attachment 2605397

I'm going to take an educated guess that A Meal on me with Love Ltd. doesn't have a complaints procedure outside of Facebook comment "oh wow if you used your negativity for something good" ????

 

[Witchfinder Sargeant]

I'm going to take an educated guess that A Meal on me with Love Ltd. doesn't have a complaints procedure outside of Facebook comment "oh wow if you used your negativity for something good" ????

"Message me, hun."

 

[TheDragonWithAFlagon]

Here’s a timeline. Bear in mind she set up A Meal on Me with Love last September and had a GoFundMe from the start.
12 April - salting allotment story broke. Money starts flooding in
22 April - registers PLC with herself as sole director.
View attachment 2604074
26 April - gofundme hits £250,000. She keeps it open

30 April - announces she’s had meeting with the council and that its fine to do what she’s done.
View attachment 2604077
24 May - she withdraws some of the cash from gofundme and complains about their cut. The gofundme remains open
View attachment 2604086
In the comments below someone points out that she should have registered as a charity. She snaps back and this is the first we hear about her waiting for her ID to come back
View attachment 2604088

4 August - still waiting for her ID
View attachment 2604080
Sometime in September, closes the gofundme. Last donation is 4 months ago.
30 September - CIC is now with accountant and solicitor
View attachment 2604093
3 October - CIC paperwork signed and ready to go
View attachment 2604095
28 November - CIC paperwork is with Companies House. Harlow appears to have backtracked on their promise to give her the allotments.
View attachment 2604101
1 December - still no CIC and now no allotments.

Where’s the money, Carly?

Harlow have probably been reading Tattle.

Let's face it, giving this complete shower a veneer of respectability to enable them to continue to alternately fleece and humiliate people isn't going to look great at the end of year appraisal.

However, going through the correct processes for the Secretary of State to permit them to flog the land off for social/mixed housing (and possibly buy other land where people actually want allotments) would be a major tick in the particular employees' boxes.

Allotment disposal guidance (publishing.service.gov.uk)

2.1 There are 3 mandatory criteria in section 8 of the Allotments Act 1925:

1. The Secretary of State is satisfied that adequate provision will be made for allotment holders displaced by the action of the local authority; or

2. The Secretary of State is satisfied that such provision is unnecessary; or

3. The Secretary of State is satisfied that such provision is not reasonably practicable


Such provision is not necessary

2.4 This criterion provides that adequate alternative provision is not necessary for example, because-

• There are no existing plot-holders on that site; and

• There is no one waiting for a plot on that site



It's not necessary. They've been unused for 8 years.


But whilst she's waylin an nashing er teefs about this, perhaps this could help?

4.11 Community garden projects might also benefit from contacting the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens who can advise groups wishing to establish either community gardens or community orchards. Alternatively, the council can encourage groups wanting to pursue such projects to contact the Community Land Advisory Service, which is aimed at helping community groups, landowners and other interested people to find information on making more land available for community use.



But they're not going to talk to two twats with a private company and no idea what's going on.

 

[Seaford Haggington]

If she had taken some advice from the other group (who are set up as a charity and got their allotments from Harlow Council) she'd have the allotments by now. But she refuses to work with any other charities.

 

[taffygirl77]

You can report to the charity commission those acting like a charity but are not registered. It's a difficult one here as not sure what she is purporting to be. On the face of it she looks like she is 'doing' everything to become registered.

You have companies house, not acting as a director in the best interest of the company
Dishonestly - fraud - police?
ICO - GDPR
HMRC - DWP

 

[Witchfinder Sargeant]

You have companies house, not acting as a director in the best interest of the company

I'm a trainee company secretary and I'm pretty sure Companies House aren't an enforcement agency like that, you'd have to pursue legal action yourself.

Companies House don't even guarantee the accuracy of the information on their own website. They respond to complaints about inaccuracy but there is nothing inaccurate about the organisation's public record.

 

[Seaford Haggington]

I don't think there is going to be enough evidence of maladministration until she files her first accounts. And, based on what we've seen to date, I think the chances that she ever files accounts are slim. However as @TheDragonWithAFlagon notes, the complete absence of good governance has possibly already scared off Harlow Council. So it quite possibly has had an effect.

That leaves us with a woman, who is also a company, a Facebook group, £250k stashed somewhere and occasional shops in Tesco delivered to those who are able to get her attention.

ETA:

 

[Witchfinder Sargeant]

I don't think there is going to be enough evidence of maladministration until she files her first accounts. And, based on what we've seen to date, I think the chances that she ever files accounts are slim. However as @TheDragonWithAFlagon notes, the complete absence of good governance has possibly already scared off Harlow Council. So it quite possibly has had an effect.

That leaves us with a woman, who is also a company, a Facebook group, £250k stashed somewhere and occasional shops in Tesco delivered to those who are able to get her attention.

ETA:

View attachment 2605508

yesterday: "won't be responding to you"

today: "and another thing, how dare you pick on me, I'm ILL, explain in excruciating detail what do you do to help others #BeKind"

Last refuge of the scoundrel, that.

 

[Seaford Haggington]

"Let's scrutinise your life and judge you"

She's running a company that solicited £250k in donations. Scrutiny isn't a personal attack.

 

[Witchfinder Sargeant]

Two complaints put in.

one about the treatment of vulnerable adults, one to the Charity commission over the way she's collected public funds while not being a charity.

I may not feel comfortable publishing the response from the first complaint but I reckon anything from the Charity Commission is fair game as it's a public body and my complaint isn't about the treatment of vulnerable adults.

 

[taffygirl77]

I'm a director of a cic and a charity trustee, I know that whilst they are not an enforcement agency there is a companies act in law. How it works im not sure as I've never been on the wrong side of it. But as said previously she's doing everything to appear legit at the moment. It won't be until 9 months after her end of year unless she files before hand that things become clear. She may have a very good accountant and if she's put it aside for work not completed yet or a contra account for the cic then she won't have to pay corporation tax. It depends on what the money was exactly donated for and the wording on the go fund me

 

[lilykestrel]

"The £92 would be in food, obviously"

but the wording says

"

Ok so we have £92 in vouchers, plus a food parcel from us

I thought..
send me a message of who you think needs, or deserves it & why?"

It's not unreasonable to read this as £92 in vouchers PLUS food, is it

ETA and that still doesn't detract from the fact of getting people to put in to 'win' an essential is a bit on the nose. Especially when you've got under 16s assumedly judging it.