Yesterday during a telephone conversation with our assistant Clerk it became clear
there was some doubt that mine and other Cllrs agenda item calling for a full audit
of the Councils accounts 2015 - 2016 would be included on the next meetings agenda.
It is not normal for dogs to be in the officer Allison has had to cancel her holiday
and work extra hours because the Clerk has decided to be sick. So she can not leave
the dogs at home all day in case they become sick.
At one stage I was put on hold whilst Allison spoke to Cllrs Haley and Elliot
When she returned to my call she said one of the Cllrs had suggested she should
back the agenda item.
Why? these Cllrs don't run our council. As a finance working group they should
work to the instruction of full council and report to full council they are not
meant to advise the clerk.
I strongly believe Cllr Haley and Elliot are becoming very close to breaking the
law, no Cllr is permitted to work on the Councils accounts and it seems the
work whatever they are doing has become a full time job, I have even seen
them accessing the clerks computer in his absence,
They reported to Council at the last meeting that they gave the assistant advice.
It is my opinion the finance working group needs to be given clearly defined instruction
from the full council.
After my visit to the council yesterday I sense it has become a unofficial closed
sub committee of the council.
During my visit to the council chamber I met with the Chairman
The Chairman has issue with me asking the working group to look into some
accounts issues. I was asked to provide my issues in written form by Cllr Michael
Elliot after a chat with him. That is not asking the group to look into anything.
The group should have reported my concerns to the full council and sort instruction.
The Chairman of the Council Adam Lowe told me he has instructed the working
group not to investigate the Clerks conduct. So who is or are we just going to
carry on paying him sick pay for ever because the chairman fears the threat
of tribunal?
He also refused to answer my question saying he did not need to answer it
When I asked, did he answer the Clerks email giving hin consent for the clerk to make
unlawful payments or tell him to ignore me?
He added are you asking that all members who replied to the email giving consent
should resign? I replied yes.
The assistant Clerk is going to respond to FOI requesting copies of those emails
She will provide them if the Clerk has not deleted them. An interesting comment
because if they have been deleted that protects those councillors who broke the
law by conducting council business via email. I would assume if the Clerk
has deleted them that would lose his only weapon of defense if he does take
the council to tribunal.
What a mess not following the rules creates!
Going back the start of my visit which can be heard in the video above
I am 100% sure if another Cllr had turned up at the end of a closed meeting that
would have not been greeted by the reception I constantly receive from people like Cllrs Haley
and Elliot.
I will continue to fight to be recognised as an equal at this dysfunctional town council.
After meeting with our Chairman I can confirm the Audit request will be on the AGM
agenda on the 11th May
Over the last year the council has failed to carry out its normal quarterly internal audits
Both Cllrs Haley and Elliot said enough had been changed regarding the councils
handling of accounts and they gave assurance to council that there would not be a
repeat of 2014 - 2015 the fact is we are hardly in a different position than we were
last year.
We have the clerk of sick for another end of year, that is quite a habit.
We have had to pay for an accountant to do the Clerks work again.
We have to pay £350 for a set of figures to be transferred to a form to be
sent to our external auditor at the last council meeting Cllr Elliot incorrectly
told members this would give members confidence in the accounts.
The only thing that would give me confidence is if the accounts were internally
audited quarterly and if all the recommendation from Streets Accountants
had been implemented.
New software was recommended last year we have only just purchased it
neither the Clerk or Assistant Clerk can use it because they have not been
trained?
Why the purchasing and implementing the tools to do a simple job have
was not auctioned last year when recommended is beyond me?
Is it because the new software does not permit alterations to anything once
entered?
there was some doubt that mine and other Cllrs agenda item calling for a full audit
of the Councils accounts 2015 - 2016 would be included on the next meetings agenda.
It is not normal for dogs to be in the officer Allison has had to cancel her holiday
and work extra hours because the Clerk has decided to be sick. So she can not leave
the dogs at home all day in case they become sick.
At one stage I was put on hold whilst Allison spoke to Cllrs Haley and Elliot
When she returned to my call she said one of the Cllrs had suggested she should
back the agenda item.
Why? these Cllrs don't run our council. As a finance working group they should
work to the instruction of full council and report to full council they are not
meant to advise the clerk.
I strongly believe Cllr Haley and Elliot are becoming very close to breaking the
law, no Cllr is permitted to work on the Councils accounts and it seems the
work whatever they are doing has become a full time job, I have even seen
them accessing the clerks computer in his absence,
They reported to Council at the last meeting that they gave the assistant advice.
It is my opinion the finance working group needs to be given clearly defined instruction
from the full council.
After my visit to the council yesterday I sense it has become a unofficial closed
sub committee of the council.
During my visit to the council chamber I met with the Chairman
The Chairman has issue with me asking the working group to look into some
accounts issues. I was asked to provide my issues in written form by Cllr Michael
Elliot after a chat with him. That is not asking the group to look into anything.
The group should have reported my concerns to the full council and sort instruction.
The Chairman of the Council Adam Lowe told me he has instructed the working
group not to investigate the Clerks conduct. So who is or are we just going to
carry on paying him sick pay for ever because the chairman fears the threat
of tribunal?
He also refused to answer my question saying he did not need to answer it
When I asked, did he answer the Clerks email giving hin consent for the clerk to make
unlawful payments or tell him to ignore me?
He added are you asking that all members who replied to the email giving consent
should resign? I replied yes.
The assistant Clerk is going to respond to FOI requesting copies of those emails
She will provide them if the Clerk has not deleted them. An interesting comment
because if they have been deleted that protects those councillors who broke the
law by conducting council business via email. I would assume if the Clerk
has deleted them that would lose his only weapon of defense if he does take
the council to tribunal.
What a mess not following the rules creates!
Going back the start of my visit which can be heard in the video above
I am 100% sure if another Cllr had turned up at the end of a closed meeting that
would have not been greeted by the reception I constantly receive from people like Cllrs Haley
and Elliot.
I will continue to fight to be recognised as an equal at this dysfunctional town council.
After meeting with our Chairman I can confirm the Audit request will be on the AGM
agenda on the 11th May
Over the last year the council has failed to carry out its normal quarterly internal audits
Both Cllrs Haley and Elliot said enough had been changed regarding the councils
handling of accounts and they gave assurance to council that there would not be a
repeat of 2014 - 2015 the fact is we are hardly in a different position than we were
last year.
We have the clerk of sick for another end of year, that is quite a habit.
We have had to pay for an accountant to do the Clerks work again.
We have to pay £350 for a set of figures to be transferred to a form to be
sent to our external auditor at the last council meeting Cllr Elliot incorrectly
told members this would give members confidence in the accounts.
The only thing that would give me confidence is if the accounts were internally
audited quarterly and if all the recommendation from Streets Accountants
had been implemented.
New software was recommended last year we have only just purchased it
neither the Clerk or Assistant Clerk can use it because they have not been
trained?
Why the purchasing and implementing the tools to do a simple job have
was not auctioned last year when recommended is beyond me?
Is it because the new software does not permit alterations to anything once
entered?
