Mr Neil Bellamy, KPMG, Rutland County Council, Helen Briggs, Legal Costs, Audit, Letter

Mr Neil Bellamy, KPMG LLP,
1 Waterloo Way,
Leicester,
Leicestershire
LE1 6LP

8th February 2014

Dear Sir,

I am writing to you and request, you reconsider your findings relating to legal expenditure in relation to Mrs Helen Briggs Chief  Executive of Rutland County Council.

 The press report the following:

“A Council’s decision to pay for its Chief Executive to sue a local blogger for libel was “unlawful”, according to a rare intervention from the Welsh Audit Office, published today.

Carmarthenshire Council has paid more than £26,000 in legal costs since 2012 after indemnifying its Chief Executive, Mark James, in a libel battle with the blogger, Jacqui Thompson.

The auditor’s public interest report reveals that the Council was warned by its own legal counsel that “common sense should warn all but the most litigious authorities from funding defamation proceedings”

Conservative Mrs Briggs, her fellow Conservatives and other councillors have I believe illegally squandered thousands of pounds of public on the very poor legal advice for sometime now. Councillors from all parties, yes shockingly all parties* set aside a huge sum for Helen Briggs to take legal action against three councillors. To this day no one is sure how much of that fund remains.

Could it be you take a different view of the law?

I am sure you are aware Rutland County Council employs a former employee of your firm in
a senior position and they are involved in finance and the internal audit.

Is it not possible your firm take the same action as you did very recently when you withdrew from
Poundworld, due to poor governance within that organisation? Because poor standards of governance
is a common fault at Rutland County Council.

I look forward to your reply

Kind regards

Martin Brookes


Comment no included in letter sent:

*here in Rutland a Conservative often started as Independent and then joined the Tories and
often changing back if to Independent to gain re-election.

Inspection of Rutland County Council Accounts, Auditor, Mr Neil Bellamy, KPMG LLP, 1 Waterloo Way, Leicester, Leicestershire LE1 6LP

Inspection of Rutland County Council Accounts

The public can Inspect the councils accounts at Rutland County Council Offices

I would like find out how much Geoff Pook was paid to leave early.

Also how much was paid out for a death in service.

And various other payments unfortunately Rutland County Council and their
police friends won't let me enter the premises.

If any other resident want to take a look at the accounts they can  be inspected
Monday - Friday 8.30am - 12.30pm & 1.30 - 4.30 till 30th July 2013

Auditor, Mr Neil Bellamy, KPMG LLP, 1 Waterloo Way, Leicester, Leicestershire LE1 6LP.
Tel: 0116 256 66067

I am guessing many payments will have a cryptic description like the time I found a small settlement
paid to a taxi driver recorded as Child Care.

I understand the BBC made a FOI asking how many gagging payments has the council paid
The Council has refused to answer.

No surprise there, I know of at least one.

The Rutland Times has failed to report another issue the costly result of employment tribunals
which former employees have won.