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Wall death probe focuses on ‘management culture’
Councillor tells investigator of concern about housing department
HEALTH and safety experts have spent more than three hours interviewing a councillor as part of their investigation into the death of Saurav Ghai, the toddler crushed by a council estate wall in January’s high winds.
Gospel Oak Conservative councillor Keith Sedgwick said he could not talk publicly about parts of his interview because he might need to repeat his evidence in court.
This is the latest evidence that legal proceedings could follow the tragedy and comes after the New Journal revealed in January how detectives have already discussed at a senior level whether a manslaughter case could be brought against Camden Council.
Saurav, 2, was crushed when a boundary wall of the Wendling estate in Southampton Road, Gospel Oak, collapsed, covering him in bricks. He died in hospital shortly afterwards.
Cllr Sedgwick called for sackings in the housing department after the tragedy and said that complaints about the condition of council estate property had gone ignored.
He was interviewed on Tuesday by the Health and Safety Executive, the national safety watchdog in charge of the investigation into Saurav’s death.
Cllr Sedgwick said: “The investigator was very interested in what I had to say about the housing department’s culture of management. He was especially interested in copies of letters I had kept, showing that I had over the past four years persistently raised concerns about the management of Gospel Oak’s housing maintenance.”
The councillor is thought to have been warned by senior figures at the Town Hall against speaking out and was condemned for calling for staff to be fired before an investigation into Saurav’s death has been completed.
Cllr Sedgwick added: “Although I am not able to discuss the details of my interview, which I might be asked to present in court, I have been advised by the investigator that I can talk about the generalities.
“Unfortunately at this very moment I am writing a formal complaint to housing’s management about repair work which I was assured by an officer was going to be done on two separate dates, but was not.
“Even as an elected member, it seems the housing department wishes to resist my call for improvements.”
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