6 September (Part 2) - Bexley council’s excess
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in August news came through of Bexley council not listening to a Danson Park resident whose
house
was being undermined by a council owned tree. A judge told the council to pay the
house owner, Josephine Robbins of Radnor Avenue, £150,081·48 to make good their failings.
But all is not quite as it seemed.
From a senior council source comes the information that Bexley is insured
against such events. The insurer will pay Mrs. Robbins’ legal costs which are
said to amount to some £400,000 and the interest on the damages will be another
£23,271·94. The insurers are not going to be happy to be paying for what was in
effect Bexley council’s neglect and incompetence. Not that you, the taxpayer, are
getting off scot free, there is a £100,000 excess on the policy. Just watch next
year’s premium rocket.
Mrs. Robbins must be admired for her tenacity, presumably a no win no fee case,
but even so, if there were awards for tackling negligent and uncaring councils she would
surely be a worthy contender.