Spammed by the Synergy Project

[editor]

What Brixton really needs is an inclusive, grass roots community centre, offering rehearsal space, office space for non profit organisations, a cafe, dance, theatre and photography workshops as well as excellent CHEAP club nights.

Something just like Cooltan, then.

 

[Anna Key]

Anyone know if Synergy as obtained or has their eye on any particular premises?

My only complaint about the centre proposal is that it's top-down. It going to be run by a private limited company.

(lang Rabbie: any luck with those company searches?)

Steve (quite rightly IMV) attacks what's commonly known as the "Tyranny of Structurelessness." Cod-anarchists pretending that loose structures in which people get bullied, minutes aren't kept and ballance sheets aren't produced are somehow 'authentic' or 'non-hierarchical' or 'working class.'

But he seems to be trying to replace this with the tyranny of top-down, secretive, non-transparent, non-democratic private limited companies.

 

[editor]

But he seems to be trying to replace this with the tyranny of top-down, secretive, non-transparent, non-democratic private limited companies.

And spamming ones at that.

 

[Streathamite]

My only complaint about the centre proposal is that it's top-down. It going to be run by a private limited company.


the tyranny of top-down, secretive, non-transparent, non-democratic private limited companies.

my biggest worry, but I'm trying V hard to be fair here.

 

[Anna Key]

And spamming ones at that.

What's so silly is that Steve has set up an entirely unnecessary straw man. The choice between "the tyranny of structurelessness" and a private limited company is unnessary to make. He's presenting a false dichotomy.

Steve wrote:

the past, say in Ecotrip, which was run on different principles, people were not paid and the money was siphoned off to support the political career of the charismatic leader. People felt exploited and left. The organisation died. This is the way that structureless organisations, run by a charismatic leader unaccountable to anyone, are run. Synergy is strutured to protect and respect the effort of the people who do the work, not the self-appointed leader interested only in his self-glorification.

I don't want to sound like Tony Blair but there is a third way. It's been used for centuries by radicals, liberals, socialists, friendly societies, trade union branches, chartists, levellers, suffragettes, (sounding like Tony Benn now ) credit unions, social centres, housing co-ops, housing associations, tenant associations and even local Conservative Clubs!

You simply have an open, published constitution dealing with boring stuff like quorums, meetings, duties of the committee, publishing minutes, who can join, expenses and so forth.

Such a constitution is similar to the articles of association governing Steve's limited companies but with two crucial differences. The organisation would the open to everyone and would conduct its affairs in public.

Private limited companies - designed specifically by the Companies Acts to deliver profits to shareholders - are inherently secretive organisations.

Steve said this about the private limited companies running Synergy:

Why do we not publish our accounts ? I honestly don't see why it's any of your business.

Exactly! But it is the community's business if you're trying to run a community organisation with public funds.

But Steve's doing something odd. He's running two limited companies, one or both of which have just indulged in an illegal spamming operation. Yet they're trying to do community work.

What's ironic is this:

While I have a lot of respect for the work some of the U75 people have done campaigning against the Merrits in Brixton (an issue on which we are very much in agreement)...

That campaign was organised by local residents via their neighbourhood association, APT Self Help, which provided the objectors' speaker at planning committee which bombed the application. Details here (scroll down the page).

APT is run on traditional, open, democratic, constitutionalised lines and it scored a big success. And there's certainly no "tyranny of structureless' in APT. It's a tight organisation run by busy people.

So the choice isn't between structural tyranny and the Companies Act. There's simply no need for Synergy to have organised in the way it has.

And it's perfectly reasonable for any Lambeth resident to ask a question about any aspect of Synergy's work - including illegal spamming.

Loki: this Synergy 'proposal.' D'you know exactly who is it a proposal to? What does Synergy want? Public money? Lambeth council tax payers' money? Cheap council-owned premises?

Does anyone know why the 'proposal' isn't on Synergy's website, in amongst the hippies? Is it a secret?

That's the problem with private limited companies. Their articles of association allow (encourage) directors to slip stuff through in secret. As a business person you need this sort of flexibility to screw your business rivals. A community organisation definitely does not.

 

[Streathamite]

f-me that's a top post, Anna! I hadn't figured out that angle. mightn't it be more fiscally efficient to incorporate as a ltd co? (don't know the answer, just curious-in fact dammit, I am gonna fiind out if synergy are kosher or not if it kills me). agree entirely about other aspects-why the secrecy? why the irregularity?

 

[lang rabbie]

FFS Anna - read my post more carefully, in which I attempted to explain what a "private limited company limited by guarantee" is. They don't have shareholders and can't distribute profits. Were you frightened at birth by some capitalist in a stovepipe hat.

The issue of company structure, which is there to protect the Directors and Members from putting their homes/savings at risk should things fail, is completely separate from the principles of openness - that you rightly think that any community/voluntary group not established for private gain should follow, regardless of whether they have incorporated as a company.

There is reputedly going to be a cuddlier-sounding "community interest company" option available if the new Companies Bill ever sees the light of day.

 

[hatboy]

The proposal - yes I've seen all that Loki. I just wanted to know where Synergy in Brixton is, when it's open and what's going on there. The answer seems to be nothing.

 

[William of Walworth]

I thought somewhere miles back in this thread a location was suggested, or perhaps that was in the previous Synergy thread a few weeks ago

I seem to remember somebody (not necessarily Steve) saying that they had some premises in Brixton Road, somewhere near Bar Lorca???

Or have I got that entirely wrong ....

 

[hatboy]

I think it's the old EcoTrip building near Robsart St. Passed out in there a few times I think.

 

[Dubversion]

i don't recall where robsart st is so i may be talking about the same place, but i think it's the abandoned minimarket opposite bar lorca (could be wrong)

 

[Brixton Hatter]

In his e-mail to me he all but said everyone in the Synergy Project is convinced that urban75 has a grudge against them...

That's clearly not right, seeing as "Urban 75" is website/bulletin board consisting of thousands of people with vastly different opinions.

Dub - yes, that's the place. Robsart Street is just over the road from Bar Lorca.

 

[Streathamite]

FFS Anna - read my post more carefully, in which I attempted to explain what a "private limited company limited by guarantee" is. They don't have shareholders and can't distribute profits. Were you frightened at birth by some capitalist in a stovepipe hat.

The issue of company structure, which is there to protect the Directors and Members from putting their homes/savings at risk should things fail, is completely separate from the principles of openness - that you rightly think that any community/voluntary group not established for private gain should follow, regardless of whether they have incorporated as a company.

There is reputedly going to be a cuddlier-sounding "community interest company" option available if the new Companies Bill ever sees the light of day.

errr, yes, but if I was to set up an organisation of not-for-profit, philanthropic/charitable bent (which synergy purports to be),I'd do it the way AK suggests; an organisation with a constitution and standing orders. And if the puropse was as charitable as synergy's own stated aims indicate it to be, I'd make damn sure I applied for charitable status, for tax reasons, because I'd be so bloody confident of getting it.
This one ain't adding up on that point...

 

[Anna Key]

FFS Anna - read my post more carefully, in which I attempted to explain what a "private limited company limited by guarantee" is. They don't have shareholders and can't distribute profits. Were you frightened at birth by some capitalist in a stovepipe hat.

Keep your hair on! Maybe you could "chill" at a Synergy event?

You wrote:

There are:
a) companies that distribute profits to shareholders (normally "Private company limited by shares" - the members' liability is limited to the amount unpaid on shares they hold, and hence members are also known as shareholders), and
b) companies that have some prohibition on the distribution of profits to members(normally "Private company limited by guarantee" - members' liability is limited to the amount they have agreed to contribute to the company's assets if it is wound up - the membership able to participate in general meetings etc should be laid out in the Memoradum and Articles of Association. This structure is commonly used for both charities and campaign organisations.)

That doesn't make clear that while a "member" in Private company limited by shares is a shareholder a "member" in a Private company limited by guarantee (the Synergy companies) are not. Try and write a bit more clearly, there's a good chap.

Maybe the Memoradum and Articles of Association for Steve's companies will show a vast membership base, in which case the secrecy and anti-democracy arguments would be difficult to sustain.

Did your searches come back? What's the membership?

 

[lang rabbie]

Did your searches come back? What's the membership?

An e-mail giving me my secure access code came back, and I've been charged a fiver - just can't get the bloody downloads to work on this PC.

 

[Anna Key]

Companies House are dirty capitalists in stovepipe hats. They even charge if you turn up in person at their offices. I think they're now run by Crapita.

Which is a futher reason why Synergy's made a mistake to go down the limited company road. Why should people have to pay a fiver to discover what a "community organisation" in their neighbourhood is up to?

 

[Skate]

The Door
a short play
by S.K. Ateinscum

Clubber: Hi.
Bouncer: £13 please.
Clubber: (gets wallet out) What will you be spending that on, out of interest?
Bouncer: None of your business.
Clubber: (remembers not only how much gear/booze £13 buys these days, but also about his invitation to a house party down the road, and puts wallet back)
Cheers. Bye!
Bouncer: Next, please.















FIN

 

[editor]

The Door
a short play
by S.K. Ateinscum
...
Bouncer: Next, please.
FIN

Encore!

 

[Bob]

f-me that's a top post, Anna! I hadn't figured out that angle. mightn't it be more fiscally efficient to incorporate as a ltd co? (don't know the answer, just curious-in fact dammit, I am gonna fiind out if synergy are kosher or not if it kills me). agree entirely about other aspects-why the secrecy? why the irregularity?

Nerdy point - yes incorporating is a very good way of saving money. If you can describe yourself as a company (basically you need to have more than about 3 main sources of income) you can incorporate and get all of the tax advantages of being a company. For instance you can claim your expenses against tax, and your first ten grand of profits are tax free (compared to less than five if you're an individual)...

How boring am I to know this?

 

[Streathamite]

useful info that. but would it not be more tax-effective yet still to get charitable status?

 

[Bob]

useful info that. but would it not be more tax-effective yet still to get charitable status?

I'm not a great expert but I assume that's right. However as a charity you have to keep to all sorts of rules and stuff - as a company as long as you file accounts every so often and pay your taxes then you can do whatever you like as long as it's legal...

 

[Streathamite]

there's my worry, and the rat I've sniffed. The rules basically add up to a regime of ensuring the organisation is directed towards a charitable, not-for-profit end (as well as ensuring financial probity and non-partisanship). What charitable rules could a philanthropic and empowering project like this possibly object to?

 

[TeeJay]

Both Synergy Communities (the parent company of the Synergy Project) and The Brixton Synergy Centre are properly constituted non-profit organisations (unlike previous other 'underground' community arts projects we could mention !) After each party we present our accounts to the wider community who have put the party on for approval.

We do not donate money to the particpating NGOs. Many of us having been working unpaid in the holistic education sector for years and are trying to make a living from it. We are currently in debt, as working in what is a very competitive marketplace has ensured we have not always covered our costs. All surpluses in the future will either go towards paying the artists and crew who put on the parties a decent wage for their work or in developing infrastructure to support emerging talent and organisations in the creative industries.

So Steve, you run these two organisations? Presumably you set the wages for everyone including yourself? Or maybe you have a few of you who do it together? You charge people £13 for coming to parties and also blag taxpayers money and all this goes into paying yourself what you think is a "fair wage", and investing in more equipment and stuff for the "project"? I wonder if the "emerging talent and organisations in the creative industries" is just shorthand for "me and my mates"?

It sounds like you have nicked the entire idea from the Jan Rebane/Ecotrip centre - you are even using the same location - and other squat parties, free festivals and other stuff from the last ten years or so, except back then everyone was doing it as volunteers and all the money raised went on campaigning or simply went on the next party or event. Most people were living off the dole or had bits of other work - it was a voluntary thing done because people believed in it, and was anti-capitalist, linked to road protests and free festivals and squat parties etc, not an excuse to set up a company and pay themselves wages.

I understand that campaigning, voluntary work and putting on free or donation-only fundraisers is hard work and you have finally decided that you need to get a "job". But dressing this up as some kind of 'radical' campaigning thing is just pure bullshit, but then again I always did wonder if you were interested in politics anyway. Just for the record - what *are* your political beliefs, if any? All I can remember you doing managing a troop of African drummers and using every opportunity to get them onto the bill at ever single event on the circuit. I never remember you being anything more than a kaftan-wearing lifestylist, certainly never anything very political.

OK, you are now going to say that this is totally wrong and all the money raised is going to go to good causes (apart from you and the staff of course)...

Just the other day, for example, I had a meeting with the Somali community in Streatham, who need help bringing together artists from within the Somali refugee community to do educational workshops in schools to tackle racism and discrimination.

You doing any of this kind of community work Mike, Hatboy ? Much more fun and so much easier to continue slagging us off, ain't it ?

This is a *meeting*. Is this yet another ruse to blag yet more taxpayers and charity money to get pumped into you buying disco equipment so that you can have "trance parties" and pay yourself whatever you feel you 'deserve' for the priviledge? Can you point to a single good cause that money has gone to so far? Have you done one single thing for the community and/or for charity or local people yet? Or is this just more hot air and pie in the sky so people will fork out yet more money so you can pay secretly yourself whatever you feel like, buy more toys and build up a mini-me empire to rival that of the ersewhile "great leader"? Just to add - the bit of text I read about "providing placements" sounds rather like you are going to get supplied with New-Deal-type teenagers as zero-costs labout for when you go and make money with your "rave tent" around the festivals. There used to be a word for zero-cost sweated labour - what was it? oh that's right - "slavery". And I have seen this scam in action in Lambeth before, so I know what I am talking about (long live the YTS). Why not get some community service people from the Probation Service while you are at it too? (Maybe you could "re-educate" them with your quasi-neo-fascist-post-rational dribble at the same time? )

Come on mate, prove you aren't just some theiving con-artist! Oh sorrry - that's right - it's none of our business.

The ethics of spam can be discussed in greater detail at another time.

Yeah right! Sure they can. In case you hadn't noticed but your spammery started this whole thread. You have broken the law and you won't even say sorry. Frankly, you'd deserve it if someone reported you and you were taken to court. Judging by how unpleasant and unapologetic you've been so far maybe its actually better you keep your mouth shut since it wouldn't be surprising if this doesn't end in legal action. Alternatively you could try and be honest, immediately tell everyoine where you got the email addresses from and apologise unreservedly, although personally I feel you deserve to have the book thrown at you. Fool.

By the way, jusy a side note, don't think you are somehow becoming "respectable" by getting into bed with Lambeth council and the whole snout-in-the-trough "charity" industry. Lambeth and many its spin-offs are the biggest firm of crooks, con-artists and jobs-for-the-boys south of the river FFS. On second thoughts maybe they are right up you street - they are past masters of getting money for the community which they then pour into black holes, the masters of fraud-by-business-plan and the high arts of "making up your own job description and salary then doing fuck all for the community". I wonder if it is a coincidence that those same Conservative (and Lib Dem) councillors who have been trying to prosecute Shane in the courts over the canbnabis festival are the same matey-matey new friends of yours who seem to be throwing you a bung (a retainer perhaps) and probably love to see you calling the main Green party person in Lambeth a criminal. I have always wondered if this attention correlates in any way to the steadily rising Green Party vote in Lambeth, where in many wards it has overtaken the Conservatives, Labout and Lib Dems to become the second-place party. Dirty tricks? But how could I think such things? Hope you can sleep at night mate with all your new ethically-sound Conservative mates that you seem to have made.

And then on to your real agenda for posting here - not to apologise for spamming and breaching the Data Protection Act, or getting money under false poretences but:

In the past, say in Ecotrip, which was run on different principles, people were not paid and the money was siphoned off to support the political career of the charismatic leader.

I seem to remember the last time you libelled Shane Collins on Urban75 you were told to put up or shut. I seem to remember (although maybe others can conform it for me) that you were neither able to "put up" *any* evidence or witnesses nor were you able to shut up, and the whole thread was binned - something normally reserved on Urban75 for threads started by the worst type of BNP-trolling fuckwits.

Since you have no compunction in repeatedly calling Shane a thief despite not one shred of evidence and many other people saying that you are lying through your teeth (because you have a personal vendetta against the guy and you are insanely jealous), I have no compunction in telling everyone that you are dishonest, a liar and a fraud. You have set this whole thing up as an ego-driven, money-making power-trip and I will be glad to see you fail miserably when you are rumbled and run out of town. Maybe you will do your own version of Lord Lucan and run away to your beloved Goa when the courts and creditors come looking for your sorry arse. Oh sorry - its a limited liability company. You shoud be OK then.

Now the thing is, in this life you very often see people on the make or onto some little scam, but life is too short to stick your nose in. The difference with you Mr Steve <suname removed>, is that you are starting a fight. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. You're in a glass house, wired up with semtex and a trip switch mate. I suggest you shut the fuck, stop making false allegations, stop nicking anti-capitalist clothing, slogans and ideas for your little scam, and you might just get away with it. Carry on like this and it will blow right up in your face.

Nowadays everybody wanna talk like they got something to say
But nothin comes out when they move they lips
Just a buncha gibberish
And muthafuckas act like they forgot about Dre
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/drdre/forgotaboutdre.html

 

[Streathamite]

wow!
woza-ari to mr Jay there!

 

[tarannau]

wow x 2!

I guess that makes it equal in the personal takedown stakes. I can't really condone that outburst, but it's understandable given Steve's graceless and seemingly unnecessary attack on ShaneC recently. Honours even. And best leave it there I reckon.

To be fair, I wouldn't object too hastily if the Synergy folks got a reasonable wage, should their efforts genuinely serve the community. And that's also my main problem - Synergy seems a little dated and anachronistic, outwardly a bit too fond of implausible new age babblesque and unfashionable hippy posturing. Are they genuinely going to appeal to the local community with obtuse gobbledigook like that? And do they genuinely believe that the best way to communicate with South London's youth is through the medium of trance music?

(I don't see the kids queuing up if I'm honest...)

Whilst I don't really doubt the good intentions behind Synergy, I do wonder if the approach is more based on the founders' interests or the needs of the community it's meant to serve. At the least, even though I'm generally in support of the basic aims of the project, I'd like to see the plans a bit more developed and rationalised before I could give anything approaching unconditional support.

Add to that; Steve's not filling me with trust either.

 

[Loki]

That's clearly not right, seeing as "Urban 75" is website/bulletin board consisting of thousands of people with vastly different opinions.

Well he may not have said exactly that (can't be bothered to dig up the email). But his main problem seems to be with the editor and dub, who he thinks are so hostile that there's no point discussing it with them.

 

[editor]

But his main problem seems to be with the editor and dub, who he thinks are so hostile that there's no point discussing it with them.

Don't you think I've every right to be 'hostile' to anyone who repeatedly spams me?

But Steve remains at absolute liberty to post whatever he likes here...

 

[Loki]

Don't you think I've every right to be 'hostile' to anyone who repeatedly spams me?

But Steve remains at absolute liberty to post whatever he likes here...

I know ed. And his aloof posting style (which he's admitted is deliberate) and his failure to disclose the source of the spamming list (despite saying he would do earlier I thought) is an absolute, unmitigated PR disaster, 'specially given that U75 is chock-full of the people Synergy is trying to reach.

I will still reserve my opinion about them (despite Steve's antagonistic posts and despite, if I may say, your and Dub's occasional overly sarcastic posts) for when the Synergy centre becomes operational and gets a chance to prove itself.

It's just a fucking shame it got off to such a start.

 

[editor]

I will still reserve my opinion about them (despite Steve's antagonistic posts and despite, if I may say, your and Dub's occasional overly sarcastic posts) for when the Synergy centre becomes operational and gets a chance to prove itself.

Seeing as I'm indirectly paying for Steve's ventures, I think I have every right to comment on them, both positively and negatively.

Sadly, it seems that Steve feels that he is above any criticism whatsoever.

In fact, he also seems to think that the spamming and web accessibility laws are waaaay beneath him and that no one here is worth listening to when it comes to constructive advice about his project.

And that's a real tragedy for the project. His colossal ego and law-breaking activities will quite probably negate a lot of good will and effort that others are putting into his project, and alienate Synergy from what should be a sympathetic audience.

But until he reveals the source of his illegal spam list and apologises for acting like a cheap Viagra rip-off twat, I'll reserve the right to have serious doubts about anything he's involved in.

(and let's just say I heard some very loud, very dissenting and very distrustful voices abut the fella tonight)

 

[Anna Key]

I just wanted to know where Synergy in Brixton is, when it's open and what's going on there. The answer seems to be nothing.

Info on the proposed Synergy Centre:

The Raising Our Sights fund, which administers Single Regeneration Budget money in Lambeth, has recently awarded us £41k to open a Synergy Centre in Brixton which will provide training and hands on experience in the 'Creative and Cultural Industries'. One way to facilitate this is by continuing with the regular large scale events in the SEOne club in London Bridge but also by holding regular smaller scale events at the centre, as well as putting together holistic festival spaces at festivals such as Glastonbury, the Big Green Gathering, WOMAD etc.

Source

It is therefore with particular pleasure that Synergy is happy to announce the completion of negotiations with the Raising Our Sights Fund, which allocates Single Regeneration Budget funds in support of training and employment opportunities for young people in the London Borough of Lambeth, and the owner of a semi-derelict community centre in Brixton that had previously been squatted by leading members of the Synergy Project seven years ago. The building, in the heart of one of the countries most deprived communities, has lain empty ever since while local young people are starved of community space.

A 2.5 year lease has been signed and renovations will begin shortly. The Brixton Synergy Centre will provide training and work experience for young people in the skills and technologies associated with the Creative and Cultural Industries...

Source

The Single Regeneration Budget is central government money administered by John Prescott's department. Lambeth won £6m from the fund in 2001. It's handed out locally by "Raising Our Sights." Details:

Raising Our Sights (ROS) Single Regeneration Budget

What sort of people or organisations are likely to get funding?

Organisations working with young people aged 9 – 25 within certain wards (see below). You must have a track record of delivering services and projects and collaborate with others.

What sort of things can you get funding for?

You must meet both one of the 3 themes and 6 key elements
3 themes - building capacity amongst young people to participate in RoS;
re-engage young people with education;
reconnect young people with the labour market.

How long is the funding for?

The SRB programme runs until March 2005. Projects can be for a year or more - until March 2005.

How do you get your money & how will you be expected to account for it?

You will be paid monthly in arrears. Your application must state the “outputs” and outcomes of the project. You will be monitored on your delivery of these.

How much can I apply for?

There is no set maximum payment.

A realistic bid would be £25,000- £30,000. The budget available is £6m over 5
years for 9 wards – and each ward must get a fair share. In practice this means just over £125,000 per ward per year. Some projects are ongoing so over time the funds available will be less.

How do you apply?

The Raising our Sights Executive Team / Lambeth Education Business
Partnership will notify organisations about the timetable and procedure.

Are there any restrictions and conditions?

Activities must take place in some of the following wards: Vassall (North Brixton), Larkhall, Gipsy Hill, Angell/Coldharbour, Clapham Town, Knights Hill (Norwood), Tulse Hill, St Martin’s and Streatham Wells, and be restricted to these areas.

SRB will only fund 50% of the project costs so you must have match funding for the remaining costs.

You must demonstrate partnership working with other organisations and
consultation and involvement of young people.

Who do you contact?

Name Raising our Sights team

Lambeth Education Business partnership
1st Floor, Blue Star House
234-244 Stockwell road
London SW9 9SP
Telephone 0207 926 9840
Email [email protected]

Source (page 23)

Raising our Sights website