A large site which has been earmarked by a council for residential housing, but owned by a major supermarket chain, has been lying derelict for 11 years. At a time of pressing housing need, this is a scandal.

Perhaps you know of similar cases to my story. If so, share them in the comments. Does anyone know how much land is being hoarded in this way?

In 2002 Tesco bought a redundant Ministry of Defence site in Tolworth, which lies within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, in the southwest corner of Greater London. The sale was by private treaty and was never placed on the open market. Tesco also acquired a landmark pub, and a housing block that needed replacement, adjacent to the main site. All the existing buildings were demolished.

The total area of the site was 5.4 hectares. It could hold up to 400 homes, of which 50% would be affordable, although the preferred option is for a mixture of housing types including family homes with gardens, which would reduce the total number.

Since then Tesco has submitted three planning applications, all of which are for a very large 24 hour supermarket covering about 50% of the site, with high density housing crammed into the rest of the space.

The site lies across the busy A3 road from Tolworth Broadway, which is a substantial district shopping centre.  There is a genuine fear that a large supermarket located away from the main shopping parade will severely damage the local economy, and kill off many of the shops. Indeed, all the local planning policies for the area identify the whole of the site for housing, not for retail.

When Tesco’s first plans for the site were submitted in 2006, public opposition, led by Edward Davey and local Lib Dem councillors, was overwhelming and Tesco withdrew the application before it came to a Planning Committee.

Their next attempt in 2009 was also aborted when it became clear that they would not be able to afford to meet the Mayor of London’s requirements for managing the traffic in the area.

The latest planning application was submitted in June last year. Although the density of the housing has been reduced, it still only covers about half of the site.

The ward councillors, all Lib Dem, would be very happy to see this brownfield site used in totality for housing, which is sorely needed.  But Tesco is hoarding the land and hoping to wear down the local community and councillors by gradually offering less worse options, in the hope that eventually they will cave in. The derelict appearance of the site is not entirely unintentional, either.

The Tescopoly Alliance tracks potential developments by Tesco, but is mainly concerned with the impact on other retailers and the fair treatment of farmers and other suppliers, rather than their stranglehold on housing land. There are campaigns across the UK against other large supermarkets as well, but again they often focus on the effects on local shopping parades. It is about time we spok

First published in Liberal Democrat Voice.

The revelations about Jimmy Savile reminded me of a blog post I wrote four years ago. It was inspired by the events that were unfolding then in the former children's home in Jersey, and it has now emerged that Savile himself was also implicated there.

Although my post concentrated on other forms of physical abuse, the general argument is just as relevant today for sexual abuse.

I will repeat it in full, as my old blog is not easily accessible.

The revelations about child abuse in Jersey have been very disturbing, and will no doubt get worse as more evidence is found and more information is put in the public domain. 

For me they awakened memories from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Not that I suffered any abuse myself, but I feel an irrational guilt about the way abusive behaviour was often considered acceptable then.

It is only in the last twenty years or so that attitudes to children have really changed. The images that haunted my childhood were of other children being beaten or humiliated in front of me. Six year olds spanked in front of the whole school as punishment for bad behaviour; infant school refusers being dragged screaming into assembly, banging their heads horribly on the doors; nine year old boys being caned in front of the class. This was considered acceptable by teachers who were acting 'in loco parentis' - after all, parents could do it in the privacy of their homes.

So violence against children was institutionalised and indeed promoted as the way to produce good citizens.

Child sexual abuse did not, according to popular wisdom, exist - but then sex was not talked about much anyway.

Back in the 70s I was a Governor in an Inner London school (it no longer, exists, by the way). Right at the end of his career the Head was arrested for sexually assaulting a pupil while on a residential trip. It appears this was by no means the only incident. 

Looking back we realised that there had been some attempts at whistleblowing, but the brave whistleblower had been branded a trouble maker and eased out by the Head. (Hm.. it seems something similar happened in Jersey, too)

But what really upsets me now is that the Head, who pleaded guilty, was only given a suspended sentence. Can you imagine that happening now?

This is the context within which the Jersey abuse was happening.  The casual acceptance of violence, coupled with a belief that the damaged children who found their way into children's homes needed 'discipline', created a culture which, sadly, permeated all such institutions at that time. 

How it then slipped in Jersey into a different level of abuse, going far beyond the acceptable limits even of the time, will probably be revealed when all this comes to court. My guess is that one charismatic and physically powerful character established a regime in which more and more extreme forms of 'discipline' were gradually introduced as instruments of control. Each step would have been justified by the failure of previous methods. Of course, such cultures attract and encourage those with an appetite for sexual abuse.

I'm just very grateful that the UK is now a more liberal society. People in general are sensitive to the damage that can be caused to children, and today's youngsters are protected in a way that my generation never were.  Abuse does still happen, and we should all be ready to report it, but the difference now is that beating a child is actually recognised as assault and not dismissed as discipline.

This is an article that I posted on Lib Dem Voice on Tuesday. It attracted quite a few comments, which you can read here. I think the lessons can be applied to any organisation that relies on volunteers.

I have just returned to my duties at Lib Dem Voice after spending an extraordinary two weeks as a volunteer Games Maker at the Paralympics. My final event was the Athletes Parade today when we were thanked over and over again by Coe, Cameron, and Johnson, and by athletes and members of the public.  I have never felt so appreciated in my life!

So how did LOCOG persuade me and 70,000 other people to travel to London from all over the country on six separate occasions for training and collecting uniforms, then to stay for anything between eight and thirty days with friends, in hotels or at campsites in London, all the time working exhaustingly long days (in my case starting work at 5.45am), and all at our own expense?

The answers to those questions could be very useful to the Liberal Democrats. Because this was volunteer management at its very best, and we as a party need to get much better at enthusing and working with our own volunteers, whether they are candidates, activists, deliverers or donors.

So here are some of the techniques that were used by the managers of the volunteer Games Makers:

• We were told frequently how essential we were to the success of the Games, but at the same time made to feel that we were privileged to have been selected.
• We were given good background information on the Games, so that we felt we were an integral part of the organisation.
• The vision for the Games was communicated effectively;  the key messages of inspiring a generation, being inclusive and ensuring sustainability were promoted and demonstrated at every opportunity.
• We were kept regularly informed and updated by friendly emails.
• We were thanked at every opportunity – even given chocolate.
• We were given high quality training, some generic and some specific to our roles.
• We were challenged with difficult tasks in a dynamic environment and encouraged to use our initiative.
• We were supplied with good quality tools for the job: excellent trainers with a uniform that worked well and even included a watch and a water bottle.
• When on duty we were rewarded with token goodies, such as exclusive badges.
• We were invited to exciting events such as the dress rehearsal of the Opening Ceremony.
• We had fun and we met lots of like-minded people.
• No-one ever asked us for money.

Can the Liberal Democrats learn anything from that?

I went up to Trafalgar Square to see the Athletes Parade today. Like all the other Games Makers I was asked to wear my uniform for one last time, and as usual complete strangers smiled and chatted with me. The main question they asked was why I wasn't in the Mall with other Games Makers.

I explained that there was a ballot for tickets for the Mall, and only 9000 out of the 70,000 volunteer Games Makers were lucky - I wasn't one of them.

But not all volunteers at the Games were Games Makers - that was the name given to those of us working for Seb Coe. Not personally, of course, but everyone recognises Coe as the Chair of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG).

There was another group of 8000 volunteers who you may have seen at stations and tourist sites around London, wearing magenta and pink uniforms, sometimes with a straw hat. They were London Ambassadors and were working for Boris Johnson.

The Parade was organised by the Mayor of London which explains why all 8000 London Ambassadors were given tickets for the Mall. There had been some 'negotiations' before Gamesmakers were invited.

So while not all volunteers were Games Makers, I think it may surprise people to learn that not all Games Makers were volunteers. LOCOG employees who had been working in Canary Wharf over the last four years also donned the Games Maker uniform when they were deployed to the sports venues for the Games. They were our senior managers and were amazing. They worked even longer hours than us and were all friendly and approachable.

Many of these LOCOG employees will be out of work next week. Some spend their professional lives moving from one Olympic Games to the next, or were planning to work at the Commonwealth Games, FIFA World Cup or other world sporting events, so hope to have new jobs to go to. All Government Departments seconded people for up to four years to work on the Games, which explains why one day I was working for someone who was about to return to their day job at the Department for Work and Pensions.  Others will have to start looking for work in the real world when their contract ends.

Finally, if you went to the Games, you may have noticed some staff wearing the purple Games Maker shirts with black trousers instead of beige. They were employed by one of the contractors as stewards and were not Games Makers as such. They were there to meet the British legal requirements for venues to have trained stewards on site, but many of them seemed pretty miserable. At ExCel I came across several stewards who were great and joined in the party atmosphere, but I also found one fast asleep at his post and others who did as little as they could get away with. The volunteers were not too impressed by them and felt they let the side down, especially as they wore the same shirts so gave the impression to spectators that they were also Games Makers.

I have had a welcome day off, and have spent it resting and catching up on emails. Tomorrow I'm back at ExCel for a more civilised 8am start to my final day as a Gamesmaker.

This week I worked four consecutive 11 hour days, clocking in each morning at 5.45am. Some of my colleagues were leaving home before 4am in order to be there on time, but I was able to saunter over in 5 minutes from my hotel. I was even more pleased that I didn't have a long journey back at the end of the day.

Which brings me to my shoes. All Gamesmakers were issued with distinctive grey Adidas trainers and I have to say that they have been very comfortable. My feet have not ached at all even though I have been on my feet all day. That may explain why Gamesmaker trainers are going for up to £150 on eBay.

Even though my feet have survived well, I have discovered a new ailment. I developed a hot red rash above my ankles after my first shift last week, and it has gradually spread up towards my knees. I've had something similar before on holiday, and always thought it was caused by exposure to the sun. But this time the rash was under my uniform trousers. So I went along to the medical centre and the nurse told me I had the most extensive example of 'walkers legs' (aka golfer's vasculitis) that she had ever seen! Walking in the heat can bring it on, but medics don't really know what causes it. The good news is that, although uncomfortable, it is nothing to worry about.

And I really am on my feet all day, apart from about 20 minutes when I manage to sit down to eat my lunch. ExCel is so large that it can take 15 minutes just to walk to the workforce area to grab some food.

Talking of food, there is another baffling trend on eBay - Gamesmaker meal vouchers. The vouchers are dated, so are unusable, but they are going for £4.99. 

I have taken on a variety of tasks so far this week. I spent one unexpectedly sunny day outside near the entrance. Two of my team shared the fun of using a megaphone to welcome people from one of those high chairs, while others offered high fives to all the children. Fortunately I was able to rotate the meet and greet team in the sunshine with the ticket checkers who had the privilege of a shady umbrella.

London 2012 are now selling off redundant furniture and equipment on the Remains of the Games website. You can pay 12p for a clothes hangers or £199 for one of those high chairs. I'd love to get one but I'm not quite sure what I would do with it.

Did you know that you can also bid for memorabilia from the Games on an official site as well? An Olympic torch signed by Bradley Wiggins has just gone for £13,000.

Before you ask, I don't intend to sell off, or give away, any of my Gamesmaker kit, including the badges I've already received and the baton that I will be given on my last shift. I will definitely wear the trainers again, and maybe get the umbrella out, as it hasn't been needed so far. The rest will  provide me with memories of a very special time in my life.

Today is my day off, so I am back home doing normal things, like attending Kingston Carnival and cooking a roast dinner. Tomorrow the extraordinary begins again.

I've had three days at ExCel which have left me exhausted and totally exhilarated. I have never in my life started work before 6am, and I have rarely before been on my feet almost continuously for 12 hours. But it has been amazing.

I have had to learn a lot very quickly and have been making decisions on the go as situations change rapidly, hoping that I'm not doing anything stupid. We were warned that the first day would be challenging for everyone, including the LOCOG staff who, in many cases, had been developing the systems for the last 4 years. But it went smoothly and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

I'm volunteering with Event Services, who manage the venues and the spectators - everything from checking the tickets, ushering people in the arenas, answering questions and looking after lost children.

The major change from the Olympics is that spectators can buy day passes which admit them to any of the five arenas at ExCel. This makes for a fluid situation since it is difficult to predict how many will want to get into any one event. There have been lengthy queues for sitting volleyball, prompted by the publicity given to Maxine Wright who lost her legs on 7/7, the day after she had been celebrating London being awarded the Games. My advice is to get there early - at least an hour before the first session - to be sure of a seat.

As a Team Leader I'm responsible for a small group on volunteer Games Makers, but the team changes each day, and my job changes each day as well. This does mean that the more exciting jobs are rotated with the more mundane ones and everyone gets a chance to do a range of tasks.

On my first day my team was looking after spectators in the sitting volleyball arena, and I had a similar role yesterday in the judo arena. I'm not sure exactly what the capacity is in each arena but I would guess around 5000. The sound of a full arena when GB athletes are competing is unbelievable. In between I thoroughly enjoyed a day spent on the Boulevard - the wide walkway that runs the full length of the building - just being helpful.

So now I'm on my way back to Docklands to be ready for a early call tomorrow morning.

I've had my final training session. I've shortened my uniform trousers. I've got my final shifts. And I'm ready to go.

It's almost two years since I first heard that they were looking for volunteers for the Games. After such a long lead time, the final few days seem to be going past very rapidly. I am so looking forward to finally getting started.

So if you are planning to get along to the Paralympics at ExCel do look out for me and say hello. I'm based in different areas throughout the period, so I can't really tell you where to find me on any particular day. 

My role is as an Event Services Team Leader, which tells you two things. First, I will be around in the spectator areas dealing with the public, not hidden away in back of house. And second, I will be carrying my badge of office - a blue clipboard.

There are still some tickets available, and more are being added during the Games. (You do have to book tickets in advance - there are none on sale at the door).

The ExCel day pass is really good value. It's only £10 (or £5 for concessions) and admits you to any events that are going on throughout the whole day. The only problem is that they can't absolutely guarantee you a seat, especially for finals, but you will be told where the spaces are so you don't have to queue. It's a great opportunity to watch some less well-known sports, like boccia, and to see just how amazing these athletes are.