The work started, the clerk went away and in his absence some person(s) at the Town Council authorised
a large payment to the contractor. The same contractor who was offered the choice of a cheque made out
personally to him or his company for earlier work completed, this was also a very large payment. But nothing to worry about because his partner used to work for Rutland County Council and they were having a baby, the partner also used to work with an employee of the town council.
After the second large payment was made in the absence of the clerk just for materials (gold plated screws?) the contractor packed up and went home.
I raised my concern about the payment at a council meeting, Councillors greeted my concerns with their normal contempt.
I spoke to the Clerk the next day, he said he would have questioned the invoice because it did look expensive for materials and "I am pleased, I was not working at the time the payment was made "
At next council meeting the Clerk raised the issue as if it was something minor and new. He assured Councillors the work would be completed by the contractor before Christmas. Today is New Years Eve
and the work is not completed.
Never mind! the loss does not equate to much, when you explain it using the Clerks formula. He often likes to divide any cost by the number of tax payers. Then when he talks about the cost of something only costing each taxpayer 50p or £1 I think it makes him feel better.
