East Grinstead Town Council have once again refused to meet with local residents who claim they were abused at the Church of Scientology’s headquarters in the town and are concerned about their close relationship with the Mayor and other Councillors. However in a first for the town, the East Grinstead Town Clerk has acknowledged their concerns, telling us they “have been heard”.
In late 2023 it was revealed the then-Mayor Frazer Visser had established a cosy relationship with Scientology and had attended several events at their Saint Hill headquarters nearby, even accepting a £50,000 charity cheque at the annual gathering of the International Association of Scientologists (IAS) in November that year. A protest calling for greater awareness of Scientology’s abusive practices made national headlines and campaigners called on the Mayor to reconsider his decision to attend local events. In the months that followed, former Scientologists and concerned residents used the public questions time at two Council meetings to raise their concerns, only to be redacted from the meeting minutes and published video recordings.
The following April, the Daily Mail published a double-page spread exposing the Council’s close relationship with Scientology, questioning whether it was appropriate for several former Mayors to accept their invitation to attend a red carpet premiere of Mission Impossible and snap photographs with Tom Cruise, despite residents’ concerns and numerous allegations the group are involved in abuse, human trafficking and modern slavery.
In response to a request for documents under the Freedom of Information Act, East Grinstead Town Council subsequently labeled an ex-Scientologist whistleblower a “vexatious bully” and has refused to apologise, despite backlash from “furious” residents and the Information Commissioner ruling the request was not vexatious. This, along with the censorship of any mention of Scientology raised during Council meetings, has led to growing fear among local residents that the local government has fallen victim to ‘safe pointing’ – Scientology’s policy of building relationships with decision makers and opinion leaders in order to influence decisions and control the public narrative about them.
In 2024, videos emerged on Scientology’s website which feature a number of current and former East Grinstead Town Councillors praising the “close relationship” that exists between the two groups. In one video, former Mayor Rex Whittaker is seen shaking hands with Scientology’s elusive leader David Miscavige, who has faced numerous allegations by former high-ranking officials of physical assault, false imprisonment and abuse.
On 24th November 2024, current Mayor Steve Ody was pictured on stage at Scientology’s headquarters wearing his Mayoral chain, turning on the Christmas lights in an official capacity. The event had been excluded from the official list of the Mayor’s engagements and when asked why, the Mayor’s Secretary confirmed “it was a last minute invitation by phone and it did not come through the office so was not on the list.”
This presents a situation in which the Mayor has established a personal, private relationship with the Church of Scientology – and made official arrangements to attend an event within his capacity as Mayor on private communication lines, rather than through his office.
This further deepens concerns that East Grinstead Town Council are being used as a propaganda tool, providing legitimacy and consequently further enabling abuse – with former Scientologists repeatedly denied the chance to meet with Councillors to express their concerns and educate them on Scientology’s history of exploiting local politicians. Until now these concerns have fallen on deaf ears, with the Council staunchly opposing accountability and transparency around their relationship with Scientology.
However, following the resignation of East Grinstead’s previous Town Clerk Julie Holden (who serves as CEO and advises elected officials on local government business) a new Clerk, Sam Heynes, was appointed on 1st November 2024 and her approach to residents’ concerns is somewhat refreshing.
After contacting Ms. Heynes to request a meeting to educate her on the concerns around Scientology’s close ties to the Council and its history of abusive practices, she yesterday wrote to us and explained “I fully understand the significance of the issues you have raised, and I appreciate the time and effort you’ve invested in presenting your perspective.”
“While I respect your position and the concerns of the residents you represent, I must inform you that I am unable to offer a meeting at this time.”
She continued, “Councillors, including the Mayor, have historically attended community events when invited by various local organisations, both faith-based and non-faith-based, in order to represent the diverse interests of the community. These engagements are carried out without prejudice, and with no intention to be unduly influenced or to influence others. I would like to reassure you that the Town Council operates independently, and all decisions and actions taken are made with the aim of representing the whole community equitably.”
However, the Mayor has repeatedly declined any invitation to meet with ex-Scientologists or attend any events organised by abuse survivors in the town.
In a first for East Grinstead, the new Clerk told us “please be assured that your concerns have been heard, and I encourage you to continue engaging with the relevant authorities as needed.”
Although the Council has once again refused to meet with residents to hear about their concerns on this local issue of national significance, this is the first time an official has acknowledged their validity, perhaps paving the way for a more collaborative and co-operative approach to addressing the issue.
The latest edition of Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible franchise is set to hit cinemas in May, with the red carpet premiere of ‘Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning’ scheduled for 19th May in Leicester Square. It will be interesting to see whether the incoming Mayor John Belsey attends as a guest of the Church of Scientology, as previous Mayors have in the past.
