“The Section 151 Officer is responsible to the Council for ensuring that appropriate advice is given on all financial matters, for keeping proper financial records and accounts, and for maintaining an effective system of internal financial control.“
The s151 Officer for Folkestone & Hythe District Council is Charlotte Spendley
Now each year the external auditor – Grant Thornton – prepare an Audit Findings Report on the state of the Council’s accounts. Charlotte became s151 officer in Jan 2020, so has been responsible for the accounts in 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22.
Reading the external auditors findings, they report :
“that the short term debtors balance of £4,132m for 2020/21 in the Group Balance Sheet was incorrect and should be £17,442m“
We naturally become alarmed, due to the the scale of the incorrect record keeping of £13,310m, for which Charlotte is responsible.
Short term debtors, are the amount owed to the Council within 12 months.
The external auditor also points out in their audit findings
“that the impairment balance disclosed in the financial statements is incorrect as it should be £1.840m not £1,478m.”
Again evidence of incorrect record keeping.
An impairment is a permanent reduction in the value of an asset owned by the Council. It may be a fixed asset or an intangible asset.
And they add
“Heating replacement programmer balance of £0.48m is incorrect and should be £1.61m.”
This too is evidence of incorrect record keeping.
As we said the person responsible for this is the s151 officer, Charlotte Spendley.
The Council in Report Number AuG/22/32, released to the world, the s151 Officer’s position in the Council, her mobile number and her email address:
Of course, every report prepared by the Charlotte,which goes before a committee, the cabinet or full council, has these details on it, and has done so ever since she became s151 officer back in Jan 2020. Complaining to anyone about the release of these details is a nonsense as the Council have been releasing this information to the world for the last two years and three months.
Also complaining about her image being released to the world, when it was taken in a public meeting and published to the world, is another piece of nonsense, as this has been allowable since the relevant legislation was put in place.
So given what the external auditor has made known, we ask you is she or isn’t she capable of “keeping proper financial records and accounts”?
We’ll leave you to mull that over.
The Shepway Vox TEAM
Dissent is NOT a Crime
