Saturday 20 July 2013

Barnet Council Supplier Scandal - £2 million per annum in supplier payments hidden from the public

The Barnet Eye has been investigating how Barnet Council spends your money recently. We have been trying to see if they are giving us value for money. We have hit a major stumbling block, because we were shocked to find that Barnet Council are actually hiding who they are paying from public view. In April, over £188,000 of public money was paid to companies and individuals for commercial services, where the identity of the has been withheld as it is "personal data". I have reviewed the figures and approx £16,500 of the figure is for "insurance claims". In this case it is quite reasonable that the Council should withhold the name of a private individual, who receives a payout for a failure by the council, but how can this be justified for organisations providing consultancy, training, professional services, etc

I have sent an email to all 63 Barnet Councillors, querying this behaviour and asking them whether they share my concerns. I believe that this is scandalous behaviour. I have asked for the Audit committee to start an urgent investigation into the practice. This is our money being spent and there is no justification for the council to hide it. Barnet is famed for its armchair auditors (ie myself and the other Barnet Bloggers).  Unlike the councillors, we receive no allowance for our work and seek nothing from the taxpayer. We don't get invited on junkets and we don't even get to see the secret papers. Despite all of these issues, in the past five years, since the Barnet Eye started blogging, our activities have resulted in savings of £2 million to the Barnet Taxpayer (money saved on Metpro & other dodgy non contracts).

Service Area Expenditure Type Vendor Name Payment Date Ref.Doc. Expenditure Amount over £500 (exc VAT)
Childrens Services Grant Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 12.04.2013 1900156767 22,183.00
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 03.04.2013 5100413565 10,696.72
Childrens Services Training REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 04.04.2013 5100413806 10,400.00
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 04.04.2013 5100413863 10,000.00
Childrens Services Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 05.04.2013 5100413598 6,300.00
Childrens Services Grant Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 30.04.2013 1900157172 6,014.00
Childrens Services Grant Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 25.04.2013 1900157078 6,000.00
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 04.04.2013 5100413862 5,000.00
Childrens Services Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156196 5,000.00
Childrens Services Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 12.04.2013 1900156771 5,000.00
Childrens Services Grant Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 11.04.2013 1900156748 4,740.00
Childrens Services Other Agencies - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 29.04.2013 7500449987 4,705.88
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 03.04.2013 5100413566 4,704.57
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 09.04.2013 5100414136 4,695.00
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 5100414137 4,530.00
Childrens Services Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 26.04.2013 1900157101 4,500.00
Childrens Services Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 19.04.2013 5100415310 4,163.00
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 04.04.2013 5100413864 3,513.25
Childrens Services Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 15.04.2013 5100413432 3,449.16
Childrens Services Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156497 3,006.96
Childrens Services Training REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 04.04.2013 5100413831 3,000.00
Childrens Services Grant Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156197 2,719.50
Childrens Services Training REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 11.04.2013 5100413842 2,400.00
Childrens Services Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 02.04.2013 5100413281 2,310.00
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 11.04.2013 5100414701 2,000.00
Childrens Services Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 02.04.2013 5100413283 1,980.00
Childrens Services Building Repairs & Maintenance REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 10.04.2013 5100414594 1,840.00
Childrens Services Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156593 1,804.18
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 09.04.2013 5100414135 1,770.00
Childrens Services Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 12.04.2013 1900156772 1,750.00
Childrens Services Training REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 19.04.2013 5100415377 1,715.00
Childrens Services Other Agencies - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 25.04.2013 7500449794 1,622.79
Childrens Services School Conferences - LBB Organised REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 26.04.2013 5100415773 1,550.00
Childrens Services Other Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 11.04.2013 5100414660 1,475.00
Childrens Services Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 03.04.2013 5100413581 1,325.00
Childrens Services Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 15.04.2013 1900156812 1,288.66
Childrens Services Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 02.04.2013 7500445881 1,279.40
Childrens Services Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 10.04.2013 1900156617 1,202.78
Childrens Services Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 19.04.2013 1900156902 1,202.78
Childrens Services Equipment and Materials Purchase REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 16.04.2013 1900156800 1,202.50
Childrens Services Equipment and Materials Purchase REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 26.04.2013 1900157119 1,050.00
Childrens Services Consultants Fees REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 04.04.2013 5100413865 1,013.25
Childrens Services Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 19.04.2013 1900156875 1,000.00
Childrens Services Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 19.04.2013 1900156876 1,000.00
Childrens Services Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 02.04.2013 5100413277 960
Childrens Services Other Transfer Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 22.04.2013 7500448643 859.13
Childrens Services Building Repairs & Maintenance REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 10.04.2013 5100414595 850
Childrens Services Other Establishments - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 15.04.2013 5100414063 845
Childrens Services Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 26.04.2013 5100415772 798
Childrens Services Other Establishments - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 02.04.2013 5100413222 780
Adults & Communities Other Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 22.04.2013 1900156963 780
Adults & Communities Other Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 22.04.2013 1900156964 780
Adults & Communities Other Agencies - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 25.04.2013 7500449885 768.28
Adults & Communities School Conferences - LBB Organised REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 02.04.2013 5100413284 750
Adults & Communities Other Agencies - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 5100414230 750
Adults & Communities Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 03.04.2013 1900156044 750
Adults & Communities Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 12.04.2013 1900156774 750
Adults & Communities Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 26.04.2013 5100413853 690
Adults & Communities Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 15.04.2013 1900156813 678.28
Street Scene Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 02.04.2013 5100413282 660
DRS Training REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 12.04.2013 5100414769 650
DRS Building Repairs & Maintenance REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 10.04.2013 5100414596 650
HRA Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 12.04.2013 1900156773 618
HRA Grounds maintenance REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 10.04.2013 5100414501 604
HRA Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156402 601.39
HRA Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156505 601.39
Central Expenses Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156545 601.39
Central Expenses Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156609 601.39
Central Expenses Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156613 601.39
Central Expenses Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1900156637 601.39
Central Expenses Agency/Interim Non Hays REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 02.04.2013 5100413276 600
Central Expenses Other Agencies - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 24.04.2013 7500449651 563.51
Central Expenses Other Establishments - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 10.04.2013 5100414537 562.5
Central Expenses Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 02.04.2013 5100413272 550
Central Expenses Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 05.04.2013 1900156176 550
Central Expenses Private Contractors - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 09.04.2013 5100414438 545.4
Central Expenses Professional Services REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 04.04.2013 5100413697 540.32
Central Expenses Other Establishments - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 15.04.2013 5100414892 525
NSCSO Other Agencies - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 30.04.2013 7500449660 520.87
NSCSO Other Establishments - Third Party Payments REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 04.04.2013 5100413869 516
NSCSO School Conferences - LBB Organised REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 26.04.2013 5100415773 500
Commissioning Group Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 03.04.2013 1900156041 500
Operating Insurance Claims REDACTED - PERSONAL DATA 08.04.2013 1700006372 -5,000.00

















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