Greg Couzens bringing High Street Foundation into disrepute, says former chairman

Photo: Journeaux

Greg Couzens

Greg Couzens, the vice chairman of Rochdale High Street Foundation has been caught breaching copyright again and the former chairman of the Foundation, Paul Turner-Mitchell, says Mr Couzens, who has a track record of taking liberties with other people's work, is bringing the Foundation into disrepute.

Mr Couzens posted an aerial photo of Rochdale on a social media site, that had been taken by David Foster, without his permission. Nor did he credit Mr Foster as the creator of the photo and he also altered the photo.

Mr Foster said: "Not happy, no thanks from him and **** about face."

In a message to Mr Foster, Mr Couzens claimed, "just wanted to see if people paying attention."

Mr Foster described this excuse as "very strange".

Mr Turner-Mitchell said: "The remit of the High Street Foundation is to bring together all stakeholders involved in town centres to form a strategic alliance.

"The continued and flagrant actions of Greg Couzens is bringing the Foundation into disrepute."

Asked to comment there was no acknowledgement of wrongdoing from Mr Couzens, instead he attacked Mr Turner-Mitchell saying: "Paul Turner-Mitchell has had issues with me for many years... and is trying his best to discredit me, it's quite sad really."

Hairdresser Mr Couzens added: "I am a photographer and as long as there is no financial gain, I am happy for anyone to use my photographs, especially if it's for the good of the Borough."

It is not the first time Mr Couzens has been caught breaching copyright law, in January he was taken to task by the Local Data Company of Hammersmith, London after using a photograph belonging to them without their permission.

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