You may remember previous news items on these two stories:
Prince urged for second chance: A window cleaner hired to work on Prince Charles' new estate, who was revealed to be a convicted burglar, will not be returning there to work, a royal spokesman has confirmed. Matthew Bell, 35, and two assistants were paid £1,200 to wash the windows at Llwynywermod, near Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, before Charles and Camilla's arrival in June. In August, Mr Bell's past was exposed and he spoke candidly about how he was turning his life around following a criminal past. The father-of-three, from Llandeilo, west Wales, said he was jailed for four months for burglary in 2000 after he entered a holiday home. He also served 21 days two years ago for not paying fines after a road conviction, he said. Clarence House said at the time that a background check was not carried out on the contractor, who was supervised while he worked at the country home.
Mr Bell, who got the job when the Inside Out window cleaning firm he set up this year was recommended to a royal aide, had hoped to return to the estate to carry out more work in October. But he said that when he asked about returning he was "shrugged off". Mr Bell told the Wales on Sunday newspaper he was told it was best if he didn't go back because of all the Press coverage of his past. He told the newspaper: "They told me I did a brilliant job, and yet now they don't want me there. The Prince's Trust helps thousands of people who have criminal pasts similar to mine. "But I've put that behind me now, and I'm just gutted they haven't given me the second chance I deserve." A spokesman for Clarence House said at the time that the Duchy aimed to employ as many local people as possible on the property in Wales. But a statement said: "Mr Bell was only employed for two days prior to the Prince of Wales taking up residence on the Llwynywormwood estate. He was employed on a one-off basis and at no time has he been offered a permanent contract." The 18th century house and farm buildings are at the centre of 192 acres of idyllic rolling countryside. It was bought for £1.2 million by the Duchy of Cornwall estate on behalf of Charles in March 2007 and has since been lavishly renovated. He and Camilla stayed there for the first time during their annual Welsh tour this summer. There are plans to convert barns and outbuildings to make them available as holiday lets when the couple are not there.
Previous blog here & also a report from Wales Online here & here.
‘I was cheated out of Christmas tree deal.’ The window cleaner who has fitted Christmas trees for Henley traders for six years claims town councillors cheated him out of this year’s contract. William York, who runs WF York Window and Office Cleaning in Makins Road, lost the work to Burnham company Windowflowers. As the Standard reported last week, some traders are angry the contract was awarded to an out-of-town firm and say they will not buy the council’s trees. Mr York claims that the town council’s Christmas decorations sub-committee did not give him a fair chance when it approached him for a quote. He said: “Unbeknown to me, Windowflowers was quoting on a different specification. This had been given to them but not to me. “If I had been given the chance of quoting on the same specification then my price would have been cheaper.” Mr York insisted Windowflowers would not have much work to do thanks to his previous efforts. He said: “Over the past four years I have carried out all the difficult work by installing the electrical sockets for the lights and fitting the brackets that hold the Christmas trees. “All the new contractor has to do is refit the bracket and place the tree in it.” The council is charging £64.62p for a tree, including installation, lights, maintenance and removal after Christmas. Mr York plans to supply trees to traders independently. He said: “The traders have a simple choice — they can either buy a Christmas tree from the council for £64, or from me for £52. “I’ve already had 70 orders so I’m quite confident.” Elizabeth Hodgkin, who chairs the sub-committee, said: “When considering the quotes we had to go on the service we believed Mr York would provide, which would be similar to previous years. “We have worked with him successfully before but he has always carried out the work with the help of council staff and I’m afraid this year we just don’t have the staff to help out. It’s regrettable really, but there we go.” She told last week’s Standard that Windowflowers had roots in Henley because the owner lived at Hambleden and that the trees were sourced from the Tree Barn at Christmas Common. Previous story here under the title "loyalty runs deep."
.Mr Bell, who got the job when the Inside Out window cleaning firm he set up this year was recommended to a royal aide, had hoped to return to the estate to carry out more work in October. But he said that when he asked about returning he was "shrugged off". Mr Bell told the Wales on Sunday newspaper he was told it was best if he didn't go back because of all the Press coverage of his past. He told the newspaper: "They told me I did a brilliant job, and yet now they don't want me there. The Prince's Trust helps thousands of people who have criminal pasts similar to mine. "But I've put that behind me now, and I'm just gutted they haven't given me the second chance I deserve." A spokesman for Clarence House said at the time that the Duchy aimed to employ as many local people as possible on the property in Wales. But a statement said: "Mr Bell was only employed for two days prior to the Prince of Wales taking up residence on the Llwynywormwood estate. He was employed on a one-off basis and at no time has he been offered a permanent contract." The 18th century house and farm buildings are at the centre of 192 acres of idyllic rolling countryside. It was bought for £1.2 million by the Duchy of Cornwall estate on behalf of Charles in March 2007 and has since been lavishly renovated. He and Camilla stayed there for the first time during their annual Welsh tour this summer. There are plans to convert barns and outbuildings to make them available as holiday lets when the couple are not there.
Previous blog here & also a report from Wales Online here & here.
‘I was cheated out of Christmas tree deal.’ The window cleaner who has fitted Christmas trees for Henley traders for six years claims town councillors cheated him out of this year’s contract. William York, who runs WF York Window and Office Cleaning in Makins Road, lost the work to Burnham company Windowflowers. As the Standard reported last week, some traders are angry the contract was awarded to an out-of-town firm and say they will not buy the council’s trees. Mr York claims that the town council’s Christmas decorations sub-committee did not give him a fair chance when it approached him for a quote. He said: “Unbeknown to me, Windowflowers was quoting on a different specification. This had been given to them but not to me. “If I had been given the chance of quoting on the same specification then my price would have been cheaper.” Mr York insisted Windowflowers would not have much work to do thanks to his previous efforts. He said: “Over the past four years I have carried out all the difficult work by installing the electrical sockets for the lights and fitting the brackets that hold the Christmas trees. “All the new contractor has to do is refit the bracket and place the tree in it.” The council is charging £64.62p for a tree, including installation, lights, maintenance and removal after Christmas. Mr York plans to supply trees to traders independently. He said: “The traders have a simple choice — they can either buy a Christmas tree from the council for £64, or from me for £52. “I’ve already had 70 orders so I’m quite confident.” Elizabeth Hodgkin, who chairs the sub-committee, said: “When considering the quotes we had to go on the service we believed Mr York would provide, which would be similar to previous years. “We have worked with him successfully before but he has always carried out the work with the help of council staff and I’m afraid this year we just don’t have the staff to help out. It’s regrettable really, but there we go.” She told last week’s Standard that Windowflowers had roots in Henley because the owner lived at Hambleden and that the trees were sourced from the Tree Barn at Christmas Common. Previous story here under the title "loyalty runs deep."
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