Wilkin Chapman Solicitors Invoice, Oakham Town Council, Who was responsible for unauthorised expenditure
I asked a formal question at last nights council meeting relating to the above invoice.
The response I received from the council was unacceptable.
The council responded by saying part of the invoice relating to work carried out
by Wilkin Chapman for £500 on the 20th November 2014 was authorised by the town Clerk
In response to the remainder of the invoice for work carried out on the 15th January 2015
the response was simply we do not know who authorised this.
This unacceptable and according to the internal audit report it has happened before
and has happened after that report was issued.
The internal audit report refers to payments being made without resolution and not
complying with regulations.
I also find it unacceptable that this invoice has been paid in full without any questions
being asked. In this case the payment was made using a cheque signed by two
councillors.
I spoke to one of the Councillors who signed the cheque and asked why? they responded
its a matter of trust, we are presented with a cheque and invoice and just signed it.
Oakham Town Council is not a large organisation and at the time I was a member
of the public who just sat in at meetings and picked up on this payment from
the schedule of payments list. So it surprises me no other Councillor did and
especially those responsible for signing the cheques.
Other payments have been made electronically so Councillors are not responsible
for those. There are no safeguards in place when it comes to parish councils
using electronic payments.
Only this week at training we were told about a parish clerk who stole nearly
a million pounds of tax payers money by arranging a loan, apparently the
money has not been recovered and that parishes tax payers are having to
repay every penny of the loan.
As for electronic payments made by Oakham Town Council when they first introduced
I suggest the use of a voucher system like an old fashioned petty cash voucher which
would list details of the meeting the expenditure was authorised. But now learning
councillors are apparently willing to sign anything put in front of them I am not sure
that would achieve anything.
It is believed all the above invoice relates and other unauthorised payments
are related to an employment matter caused by Cllr Alf Dewis in November
2014. He has said he act in the interest of the council and apparently because
it was a matter of urgency he did not consult the full council. When you look
at the time line 20/11/2014 to the present day there is no excuse for this
matter not to have been brought before the council. Cllr Dewis feels he can
ignore all laws that apply to councillor simply one like it is unlawful for
any one councillor to make any decision of the council. and as chairman
or deputy of the council that position does not give any individual any powers
to run the council especially in his maverick dictatorial fashion.
Cllr Dewis likes a lot of people to think he has power, only at the weekend
I was stopped in the street by a person who was unhappy about something
they appeared a little unhappy with my correct response and said I will
speak to Cllr Dewis he will remove the person. True to there word they
called the office and asked to speak to Cllr Dewis and were told he was
away and there was nothing he could do the decision had been made.
I asked a formal question at last nights council meeting relating to the above invoice.
The response I received from the council was unacceptable.
The council responded by saying part of the invoice relating to work carried out
by Wilkin Chapman for £500 on the 20th November 2014 was authorised by the town Clerk
In response to the remainder of the invoice for work carried out on the 15th January 2015
the response was simply we do not know who authorised this.
This unacceptable and according to the internal audit report it has happened before
and has happened after that report was issued.
The internal audit report refers to payments being made without resolution and not
complying with regulations.
I also find it unacceptable that this invoice has been paid in full without any questions
being asked. In this case the payment was made using a cheque signed by two
councillors.
I spoke to one of the Councillors who signed the cheque and asked why? they responded
its a matter of trust, we are presented with a cheque and invoice and just signed it.
Oakham Town Council is not a large organisation and at the time I was a member
of the public who just sat in at meetings and picked up on this payment from
the schedule of payments list. So it surprises me no other Councillor did and
especially those responsible for signing the cheques.
Other payments have been made electronically so Councillors are not responsible
for those. There are no safeguards in place when it comes to parish councils
using electronic payments.
Only this week at training we were told about a parish clerk who stole nearly
a million pounds of tax payers money by arranging a loan, apparently the
money has not been recovered and that parishes tax payers are having to
repay every penny of the loan.
As for electronic payments made by Oakham Town Council when they first introduced
I suggest the use of a voucher system like an old fashioned petty cash voucher which
would list details of the meeting the expenditure was authorised. But now learning
councillors are apparently willing to sign anything put in front of them I am not sure
that would achieve anything.
It is believed all the above invoice relates and other unauthorised payments
are related to an employment matter caused by Cllr Alf Dewis in November
2014. He has said he act in the interest of the council and apparently because
it was a matter of urgency he did not consult the full council. When you look
at the time line 20/11/2014 to the present day there is no excuse for this
matter not to have been brought before the council. Cllr Dewis feels he can
ignore all laws that apply to councillor simply one like it is unlawful for
any one councillor to make any decision of the council. and as chairman
or deputy of the council that position does not give any individual any powers
to run the council especially in his maverick dictatorial fashion.
Cllr Dewis likes a lot of people to think he has power, only at the weekend
I was stopped in the street by a person who was unhappy about something
they appeared a little unhappy with my correct response and said I will
speak to Cllr Dewis he will remove the person. True to there word they
called the office and asked to speak to Cllr Dewis and were told he was
away and there was nothing he could do the decision had been made.
