Councillor Chris Devine (Conservative – Wiltshire) Named and Shamed

Ever since the Summer Budget we have been encouraging Property118 members to actively lobby their local elected officials to explain the real life consequences of Clause 24 of The 2015 Finance Bill (Restrictions on Finance Cost Relief For Individual Landlords).

The vast majority of responses have been gratitude for highlighting the consequences of clause 24 and the increased homelessness issues it is likely to create. Slowly but surely we are amassing a growing level of public sector support, and concern in terms of how the consequences of a shrinking or stagnating private rented sector will affect local economies and homelessness as of 2017 when the new legislation begins to get phased in.

Below is the shocking response received from Councillor Chris Devine (Conservative – Wiltshire) to a very polite, very well worded report sent to him by one of our Property118 campaign team members.

Chris Devine Cllr.

“So Gareth, how many properties do you own?   Your email is deeply flawed, do you seriously believe that the `buy to let` brigade give a fig for those they are exploiting with high rents and short tenancies. 

Stop thinking about your own pocket and think about society, you lot are nothing, but, parasites and the sooner you are taxed out of existence the better. 

Just because I am a Conservative does not mean that I do not have a social conscience, well done to George Osbourne.  As for you. Try doing some public service and stop snivelling. 

Chris Devine, Cllr”

Needless to say, we were shocked!

We asked Cllr James Fraser (Conservative – Stevenage), who has been incredibly supportive of our campaigning, what could be done.

Cllr Fraser immediately wrote the following email to Cllr Chris Devine …

“Dear Cllr Devine,

I refer to your recent email to Gareth Wilson, a friend of mine who, like me, is somewhat surprised by the level of rudeness and ignorance shown in your response (not to mention the lack of grammatical skill nor the simple ability to spell Osborne).

Gareth had correctly tried to bring to your attention the impossible position small investors and businesses were being put in by some government policy that, directly or indirectly, several million people will be affected by over the next four years.

Perhaps not surprisingly, you have proven how little an understanding you have of the situation. Has it not occurred to you that many of your constituents, even people who voted for you, are investors in homes? Do you feel that the large percentage of Conservative MPs who rent property are ‘parasites’? Or is Wiltshire unique among English counties in that they have an unending supply of council stock to offer to the tenants you would so willingly displace from their privately-rented homes?

Incredibly, you feel that insulting people who contribute vast sums of money and endless hours of time to alleviating the pressure on council stock is you having a conscience and doing something useful for society. What a strange way to view yourself.

You don’t offer any explanation for why Gareth’s email is ‘deeply flawed’, probably because it isn’t. The information contained within it is referenceable from the highest and best researched of sources and luckily has been received with a lot more intelligence by other Conservative councillors nationwide.

Your deeply offensive descriptions and frankly ill-informed opinions are an embarrassment to those of us who are both Conservatives and who work in housing as a profession. They fall well short of standards expected of public officials. To this end I have reported your email to your group leader, the council Chief Exec and your local press, who ought to know how their elected representatives address members of the public expressing their genuine concerns.

Sincerely

Cllr James Fraser
Deputy Leader of the Conservatives
Stevenage Borough Council”

Cllr Fraser then followed this up by making the following formal complaint to Cllr Devine’s boss ….

“Dear Cllr Britton,

I feel I must bring to your attention the reply below received from Cllr Devine after an email from one Gareth Wilson outlining some consequences of the government’s Clause 24.

Gareth Wilson had written a well-researched and intelligent piece to bring to your attention a ruinous policy that will affect millions of people nationwide and no doubt a good many of your constituents.

This reply falls well short of the standards required of a public official. To call the writer – a friend of mine – a  ‘parasite’ who Devine wants ‘taxed out of existence’ and who should ‘stop snivelling’ is deeply offensive and worthy of reporting to your local press.

Devine clearly has no knowledge of the sector, nor its contribution to relieving pressure on council housing stock, nor the kind of care and commitment it takes to be a private landlord, of which I too am such a worthless parasite who should clearly do more for society.

Sincerely

Cllr James Fraser

Deputy Leader, Conservatives

Stevenage Borough Council”

Related articles – LINK

Councillor Chris Devine (Conservative – Wiltshire) Named and Shamed https://t.co/jBAQQ7xEWe @wiltshiretimes pic.twitter.com/OXtQ4ZsFOt

— Mark Alexander (@iAmALandlord) December 24, 2015

This article shows the level of ignorance #Landlords are up against https://t.co/jBAQQ7xEWe Cllr named & shamed

— Mark Alexander (@iAmALandlord) December 24, 2015

#Landlord basher gets his comeuppance https://t.co/jBAQQ7xEWe

— Mark Alexander (@iAmALandlord) December 24, 2015

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