Barnet Council - Metpro Scandal - Open letter to Leader and CEO

From: "Roger Tichborne"

To: <Nicholas.Walkley@Barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.r.cornelius@barnet.gov.uk>

Cc: <cllr.a.brodkin@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.campbell@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.cornelius@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.mcneil@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.strongolou@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.tambourides@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.b.coleman@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.b.evangeli@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.b.gordon@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.b.salinger@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.b.schama@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.c.omacauley@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.c.rogers@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.c.salinger@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.d.cohen@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.d.seal@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.d.yawitch@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.e.greenspan@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.g.cooke@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.g.johnson@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.g.old@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.g.sargeant@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.h.rayner@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.j.hart@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.j.johnson@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.j.marshall@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.j.tambourides@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.j.tierney@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.k.mcguirk@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.l.rutter@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.m.braun@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.m.shooter@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.p.coakleywebb@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.r.houston@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.r.thompstone@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.r.turner@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.s.khatri@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.s.rajput@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.s.sowerby@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.z.zubairi@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.finn@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.h.hart@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.w.prentice@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.harper@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.hutton@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.moore@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.schneiderman@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.slocombe@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.a.sodha@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.b.perry@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.b.rawlings@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.c.farrier@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.d.longstaff@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.d.thomas@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.j.cohen@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.j.scannell@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.m.cohen@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.m.palmer@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.r.cornelius@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.r.rams@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.s.palmer@barnet.gov.uk>; <cllr.t.davey@barnet.gov.uk>

Sent: Friday, June 17, 2011 10:14 AM

 

Subject: Audit committee and section 151 officer

> Dear Mr Walkley/Mr Cornelius,
>
> I was sent a guest blog by an employee of Barnet Council who wishes not to
> be named. This details the track record of the Barnet Council Section 151
> officer, Andrew Travers. The contents of this raise serious questions as to
> whether he is the most appropriate candidate to reform the council following
> the shocking revelations at the audit committee meeting last night.
>
> http://barneteye.blogspot.com/2011/06/barnet-council-special-andrew-travers.html
>
> I have circulated these details to all Barnet Councillors, as I think this
> is an issue of extreme importance and urgency.
>
> I must say that last nights meeting and the review of the Metpro scandal was
> probably the most damning endictment of any organisation, one could possibly
> imagine. I must take this opportunity to state that Councillor Brian Schama
> raised some excellent points about the lack of a "due diligence template". I
> must also applaud Hugh Rayner for securing a commitment to publish the
> findings. I am disturbed that Mr Walkley seemed reluctant to have his oral
> submission openly published. This seems far from the spirit of the inquiry.
>
> It must be stated that Lord Monroe Palmer must be congratulated for his
> chairmanship of the meeting. Unlike some previous meetings, his generous
> thanks for the concerned citizens of Barnet was duly noted. His Lordship was
> correct to conclude that public involvement is a positive force for good in
> public life.
>
> It is worth noting how many members of the public turned up to observe the
> meeting. Everyone who observed the proceedings would have been left in no
> doubt that the no 1 concern for Barnet Council, its officers and its
> councillors is sorting out the "business as usual" procurement, purchasing
> and payment processes. It would be criminally negligent to persue the One
> Barnet outsourcing model, whilst this process is clearly not fit for
> purpose.
>
> The chairman of the audit committee noted that there are only 3 full time
> staff and 1.5 external resources involved in audit, for an organisation with
> a turnover of approx £1 billion and 220,000 people relying on it's services.
> He noted that resources had been pulled off other important work to complete
> the Metpro review. I don't think that any reasonable person would disagree
> with his conclusion that the department needs beefing up. Given the millions
> of pounds spent on consultants, working to "transform" the council, it is
> ridiculous that the audit department is under resourced.
>
> What struck me about the committee's response to the report was the complete
> cross party unity in the disgust at the findings. This is not a partisan
> matter, it is too important for that. The audit committee report has spelled
> out in terms which cannot be ignored, the fact that Barnet Council has not
> got workable systems for existing business, let alone new contracts on a
> scale unseen before.  The most disturbing phrase, which was "we don't know".
> When this is used in relation to contracts, invoices, VAT and procurement,
> it could not be more disturbing.
>
> I believe that a full review of this report and the meeting, by the cabinet
> and executive is a matter of urgency. This review should be held in public
> and should invite public questions and submissions. I am asking you to
> schedule an emergency meeting to deal with this. I do not believe that a
> single issue could be more important in your in-tray this mornings
>
> Regards
> Roger Tichborne
>
> The Barnet Eye