C**k up, Conspiracy or Incompetence?

So is it a cock up, conspiracy or incompetence? We simply do not know, but we’ll let you judge from the evidence we put before you.

All the evidence is in the public domain.

On Monday 1st June, Envirocure Ltd were awarded a contract by Folkestone & Hythe District Council titled “mobile phones“.  Envirocure Ltd describe themselves as “Legionella Hygiene Specialists“.  The value of the contract for twelve months is £97,208.00; and the reference number is: DN275103.  The start date is the 1st July and the end date is the 30th June 2021.  The description of the contract is:

• Water hygiene servicing (legionella testing) for the council’s social housing stock.

On Thursday 2nd July, Envirocure Ltd were awarded another contract by Folkestone & Hythe District Council titled “Water Hygiene Servicing and Maintenance Contract 2020-21“.  However, the start date for this contract was the 1st July 2020, yet the contract was awarded on the 2nd July 2020. The value of the contract for 12 months is £97,208.16; and the reference number is DN485456.  The description of the contract is:

• Water hygiene servicing (legionella testing) for the council’s social housing stock.

So the first question is:

• How do you start a contract before you’ve been awarded it?

The second has to be:

• How can the contracts be worth almost identical amounts – only 16 pence separate the price between the “mobile phone” contract with Envirocure and the second contract which is for “Water hygiene servicing (legionella testing) for the council’s social housing stock.”

As far as we are aware Envirocure have nothing to do with mobile phones whatsoever.

It doesn’t stop there.

On 01/01/0001, Gas Contract Services Ltd were  awarded a contract by Folkestone & Hythe District Council titled: “** landline phones“.  Gas Contract Services Ltd undertake compliance in areas such as gas safety for social housing.  The value of the contract for twelve months is £36,616.85; and the reference number is DN455840.  The start date is the 15th June and the end date is the 14th June 2021.  The description of the contract is:

• independent auditing services to support the management of Heating Servicing, Heating Installations and Repairs.

On 1st June, Gas Contract Services Ltd were  awarded a contract by Folkestone & Hythe District Council titled: “Auditing of Heating Installations and Repairs 2020“.  The value of the contract for twelve months is £36,616.85; and the reference number is DN455840.  The start date is the 15th June and the end date is the 14th June 2021.  The description of the contract is:

• independent auditing services to support the management of Heating Servicing, Heating Installations and Repairs.

So again the question to be asked is:

• How can Gas Contract Services be awarded two contracts on the same day, for the same amount with the same reference number – the first titled “landline phones” and the second “Auditing of Heating Installations and Repairs 2020”.

As far as we are aware Gas Contract Services Ltd do NOT supply “landline phones“, just like Envirocure do NOT supply “mobile phones“.

There is no doubt Folkestone & Hythe District Council will pay these companies on a monthly basis, but June’s payment to supplier data will not be published till the end of this month.

We simply do not know if these contracts are the same contracts. Is it four contracts or two?

We don’t know if the council will make double payments/overpayments to these contractors. However, the Council’s robust financial systems cannot identify overcharging, as the former Council financial officer – s151 officer – Tim Madden (pictured), has made clear previously:

• The Council does not hold a list of all overpayments…nor are able to generate it.

And let’s not forget the Council’s auditor’s Grant Thornton are not looking for fraud.; and they are prone to the odd “misleading statement“.

The awarding of these four contract raise the plausible suspicion of something untoward happening, as neither Envirocure Ltd, or Gas Contract Services Ltd, offer “mobile phones” or “landline phones” services.

So with the evidence before you, we’ll leave you to decide whether this a cock up, a conspiracy, or just plain and simple incompetence by council officers, who by the way get paid to deliver this kind of service to the wider community in our district.

The Shepwayvox Team

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