Friday 17 June 2011

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


From: "Roger Tichborne"
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

6 comments:

Mr Mustard said...

I wouldn't trust Mr Walkley & Mr Travers to run a whelk stall.

Jaybird said...

I was shocked, given the nature of the reports, that Councillor Cornelius was not present.

Anonymous said...

Councillor Richard Cornelius was not there as he has stated publicly that the Officers are pretty free to get on and run the Council.

He told the Press http://www.barnet-today.co.uk/news.cfm?id=22416

"I think it is very important for the leader to maintain a certain distance from the work of the council. I certainly won’t be on the chief executive’s shoulder"

Don't Call Me Dave said...

There should be no surprise at Mr Walkley’s reluctance to have his evidence publicised. He would like people to forget that he was the Director of Resources when Metpro were first appointed without a contract or tender. The buck stopped at his desk then, as it does now in his role as Chief Executive. Nick Walkley should not resign. He should be sacked.

baarnett said...

DCMD: And it is worth recalling Mr Walkley's interview in the Barnet Times.

"I suppose the question for me is: how do we make sure all the money, whether it be council tax payers’ money or the money coming from national taxes to fund other services, is being used for the maximum benefit of the people of Barnet?"

Yes, the question is indeed that.

Moaneybat said...

...but first tnere has to be a disciplinary proceeding as Cllr Palmer was advised "in law,"

Quite correct, or pay a whole lot more for "unfair dismaissal," but then who bears responsibility for what appears to be corrupt regime of senior management when both gatekeepers, i.e. the Chief Executive and the Councillors failed to do so.

What's new in Local Government employment? Nothing! but new and clever ways be found to continue with the same shit where the elected and the appointed are from the same gene.