When Silence Becomes an Answer: Governance, Safeguarding and Escalation

When Silence Becomes an Answer: Governance, Safeguarding and Escalation

Since our last blog, a significant volume of new information and corroborating evidence has come forward concerning governance, safeguarding, data handling and decision-making within Let’s Dance Again (LDA) and its activities at Wednesbury Town Hall and other venues.

What has emerged is not a single dispute, personality clash, or isolated incident — but a pattern of action reported independently by multiple former volunteers, members, performers and supporters over a sustained period of time.

A growing pattern, not one-off concerns

New material received since the last update includes:

• Safeguarding concerns relating to crowding, fire safety, evacuation procedures and the management of large numbers of older and potentially vulnerable people.
• Accounts of fire alarms being activated with no clear evacuation plan, no designated lead, and confusion about whether events should continue.
• Reports of large numbers of attendees being placed in upstairs or balcony areas, raising serious questions about accessibility and emergency egress.
• Multiple accounts of individuals who raised concerns being removed, excluded, or warned off, often without written reasons, evidence, or any appeal process.
• Questions about financial transparency, cash handling, and a lack of clarity about where money was going — raised by more than one person, at different times.

These accounts are consistent in nature, detail and outcome, even where the individuals involved had no connection to one another.

Efforts to seek clarification — and the silence that followed

Before taking any external action, formal written requests for clarification were sent to the trustees of Let’s Dance Again CIO.

Those requests:

• set out the concerns clearly,
• asked factual questions,
• and provided trustees with the opportunity to respond, explain, or correct the record.

No response was received. Not even an acknowledgement.

That silence matters. When trustees choose not to engage with reasonable requests for clarification on safeguarding, governance and data protection matters, it leaves no responsible option other than escalation.

Attempts at intimidation do not resolve facts

Since raising these issues, we have also received messages from a non-trustee volunteer making sweeping allegations, character attacks, and unsupported claims about others who have raised concerns.

These messages:

• have no legal standing,
• do not come from anyone with authority to speak on behalf of the charity,
• and do nothing to address the substantive issues raised.

We are not interested in personal attacks, informal conversations, or off-record discussions.
We are interested in evidence, governance, safeguarding, and accountability.

Attempts to deflect, intimidate or threaten do not change the underlying facts — and they have been logged accordingly.

Why matters have now been escalated

Given:

• the volume and consistency of evidence now received,
• the failure of trustees to engage or clarify,
• and the seriousness of the safeguarding and governance issues involved,

matters have now been formally escalated to the appropriate regulatory and authority bodies.

This was not a first step.
It was the last available step after reasonable attempts to resolve matters directly were ignored.

A call to others — in confidence

We are aware that there may be others who have been excluded, warned, removed, or discouraged from speaking, or who have experienced similar issues but have so far remained silent.

If that applies to you:

• you are invited to contact us,
• your information will be treated in strict confidence,
• and no material will be used or shared without consent.

Patterns only become visible when people feel safe to speak.

What this is — and what it is not

This is not a personal vendetta.
It is not about rumours or hearsay.
It is not about personalities.

It is about:

• safeguarding older and vulnerable people,
• proper governance of community organisations,
• lawful handling of personal data,
• and ensuring that concerns are addressed — not buried.

Silence, exclusion, and intimidation are not governance tools.

We will continue to document matters accurately, proportionately, and transparently — and will update when regulators or authorities respond.

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