Council wardens - council spies ?
Billy Badger | 26.11.2004 11:50 | Analysis | Indymedia | Sheffield
Sheffield City Council sent two wardens round to my flat last week (Low Edges). They wanted to use my kitchen to carry out "observations" on another tenant they suspected of "benefit fraud". I said no. Three days later I got a letter from the council saying they'd received complaints of my "loud" television. Which is strange, as I don't own one. But...on the day the wardens came ... I had a TV box (empty) on my kitchen table. Mmm...
It makes you wonder what the role of these wardens is - are they "police auxiliaries", part of Blunkett's growing army of spies...whenever you speak to them they have little idea of local geography or knowledge, making you wonder if they are 'parachuted' into the area to do the groundwork for benefits agencies, immigration, the police, etc etc. Anyone else had similar experiences ?? BB.
Billy Badger
Comments
Hide the following 6 comments
Another reason to oppose ID cards
26.11.2004 14:49
See also social workers, community coppers, bailiffs, salespeople ( remeber Bill Hicks ), debt collectors, traffic wardens, security guards, housing officers, anyone on Camden or Haringey Council ( if not thick then suspect )and also a very large proportion of this country's teachers....
Call them professionals. Call them key workers. Just don't call them round to dinner:-)
Wake up liberal motherfuckers. the ceremony is over.
I was only following orders. It's a job innit.
False accusations could be harassment
26.11.2004 19:20
I suggest you contact your local police force and say you have been the subject of harassment!?? Well, maybe not!
The local paper might be interested though if you approached them in the right way - don't go saying how the council wardens are a bunch of fascist spies, say you have had your privacy invaded and been slandered and feel under great stress at being harassed by the council.
Archie
irate teacher
27.11.2004 11:06
philippa
Why so much suspicion in the air?
29.11.2004 03:00
Back to original article, it is likely that your own neighbour is spying on you or planning to accuse you of committing benefit fraud... I was quite shocked when reading, on the DWP site, under "benefit fraud" or something to that effect, that anyone could accuse anyone of benefit fraud without even having to give the accuser's name. Now this facility is available online, which makes things even worse. This has built on fear, hatred, mistrust, something that you can breathe on the air... But newly built neighbourhood- social forums should counteract this climate of suspicion amongst neighbours -- council neighbours in particular. Have you checked the idea of TIME BANKS? These were created in Great Britain a few years ago but i don't know if there is one in Sheffield yet.
sheffielder
Go on the offensive
29.11.2004 10:29
I'd write a very critical and angry letter as a first step then maybe insist on speaking to someone high up - perhaps the Manger of the wardens. Generally if you go on the offensive in these situations they'll get tired of you and won't want the hassle again in the future so leave you alone.
Don't know who these wardens are. Perhaps some relation the another new group calling themselves the Ambassadors. These people who dress in officious fluro have been spotted roaming around the city centre in the last year. The Ambassadors are supposedly there to help students though they won't shy from interfering in other people's business, such as stalls etc. if they see you. As far as I know they don't have the power of arrest so the best thing is to politely tell them to f*ck off.
Mr Outrage
sheffield warden
03.07.2005 22:15
dave d