The truth about Zane Gbangbola

 Guest blog post, by Nigel Gilbert of Betrayed By Their [NHS] Trust

 

Ingra and I joined over 200 other people last night in a Zoom meeting organised by the parents of the late Zane Gbangbola, who would have been 14 yesterday had he lived.. 

Zane died due to flood water entering the basement of the family home by the Thames in early 2014 and releasing Hydrogen Cyanide. Since then the bereaved parents have been compelled to fight a campaign to obtain the truth from a corrupt establishment of many agencies which stand shoulder to shoulder denying justice to them.

The basic facts are that the fire services detected Hydrogen Cyanide at the home. Matt Wrack leader of the Fire Brigades Union spoke last night to confirm this. Yet right from the start there was denial. It was claimed that the death was caused by Carbon Monoxide caused by a faulty generator in the house. No such generator was running. It was denied that there was ever a landfill site behind the house. The inquest ruled accidental death caused by Carbon Monoxide poisoning. 

Since then it has been established that there was a landfill site perfectly well known to the authorities, who allowed houses to be built. It was even recognised four years before Zane's death that it posed a threat to life. But the only reaction of the authorities was to provide gas protection to their own properties. 

At the inquest Zane's parents faced a phalanx of lawyers, but they themselves were denied legal aid.

Professor Phil Scraton, who was involved in the Hillsboro inquiry and wrote a book on it, drew parallels with the corrupt response to that disaster. Multiple agencies denied the truth. 

The meeting last night called for an inquiry panel with full disclosure. Damningly this inquiry must be independent of the state and need look at documents only. This implies the abject corruption of the state.

Those of us involved in BBTT will be unsurprised by any of this. We are used to the denials of multiple agencies, the corruption of inquests etc.

The Labour Party is very supportive. Richard Burgon and David Lammy spoke last night. Starmer and Burnham have also been supportive. But you will recall that justice for Zane was specified in Corbyn's manifesto. His successors will get the credit but I wonder whether they will attend to the issue of widespread corruption or just treat the case as a one-off. 

The campaign has a website.

Nigel  

Camden New Journal: Citizens Advice office is closed in cash squeeze - article not yet published at Camden New Journal website

Blow after long queues outside centre 

Citizens Advice office is closed in cash squeeze 

By Tom Foot 

Camden's Citizens Advice service is to shut down its service in Kentish Town and stop providing walk-in sessions. Chief executive Margie Butler told the New Journal yesterday (Wednesday) the CAB will leave the building it has shared with Camden Community Law Centre in Prince of Wales Road on September 9. It will continue to operate out of its second base in Robert Street at the Regent's Park estate, but there will be no more walk-in sessions.

Clients needing support on matters ranging from benefits to immigration will be able to book face-to-face appointments with advisers. But there is a push towards more advice being given over the phone while there will be more "outreach" projects in foodbanks, health centres and libraries, said Ms Butler.

"We've been working on this for some time," she said. "We are not funded by central government and we rely on funds from the council, charitable trusts and foundations.

"We have to look at the resources and how best to use them. We know we are going to have to change to continue to deliver our service. We can't just open our doors for everybody."

With devastating cuts to legal aid and council budges over the past 10 years, large numbers of people queue daily outside the CAB's offices to speak to advisers or one of more than 100 volunteers. Clients in an "emergency" will be able to drop in for help, Ms Butler said.

Funding to provide advice in GP surgeries has recently been taken away by Camden's Clinical Commissioning Group.

Companies House documents show that in the past few weeks four members of the charitable trust running the CAB have quit. Ms Butler said this was not connected to the decision to close the Kentish Town operation, adding: "It can be a challenge to find people with skills, and have time to undertake the work as a trustee."

Cllr Jonathan Simpson, cabinet member for promoting culture and community services, said: "The have explained to us that they are continuing face-to-face support on an appointment basis for residents who have complex problems that cannot be dealt with by phone. We will continue to monitor the quality and outcomes achieved for our residents."

He added that £7 million was being invested over the next seven years to "support independent organisations to provide a range of advice services for residents needing support."

(The print article that has yet to appear at Camden New Journal website adds:
See Comment, page 11
Letters, page 14

Tell Camden New Journal what you think. Email your comments to Letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk or write to Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, NW1 9DR)