Nicholas Evans alleges 'malaise of management' in resignation statement

Nicholas Evans has resigned as a trustee of the board of the Conservators of Wimbledon and Putney Commons in another escalation of the dispute over the sale of the 'ransom strip' which enabled the sale of the Putney Hospital site.

He handed in his resignation at the Board meeting on 11 November claiming a lack of transparency, unreasonable behaviour towards individual trustees and a malaise of management and governance in his statement of resignation.

The meeting elected Prue Whyte, Elected Conservator, as the new Chairman of the Board to replace Keith Luck who had stepped down earlier this year saying that the disputes within the board had made the role too time consuming for him. Shirley Gillbe, Elected Conservator, continues as the Board’s Vice-Chairman.

Prue Whyte commented, “Nick’s decision is disappointing. I’d like to thank him for the valuable contribution he has made to both the Board and the Committees on which he sat.”
The Board will consider the Trustee vacancy at its forthcoming meeting in December 2015."

The Trustees had met with representatives of the Charity Commission on 9 October 2015. This was to address difficulties with governance within the Charity, specifically regarding the sale of access rights for the former Putney Hospital site.

As regulator, the Charity Commission subsequently sent a letter dated 22 October 2015 setting out a formal Action Plan.

At its meeting on 11 November Trustees agreed a series of steps to progress this formal Action Plan. The Board also agreed to hold a General Open Meeting at 6.30pm on Wednesday 2 December 2015 at the London Scottish Golf Club, Windmill Road, Wimbledon Common.

November 16, 2015