Double helping of cock ups at last night’s full council

So it was a cock up, another one, but not the only one on last night’s agenda at the final full Council, before the elections on 4 May 2023.

Cllr Keen (Lab) asked her question; which we, The Shepway Vox Team had highlighted on the 23 March, and the 27 March, about the Directors of Oportunitas being employees of Folkestone & Hythe District Council.

Cllr Monk’s response to Cllr Keen’s question can be viewed below.

So the accounts had been like this for more than three months before anybody at the Council noticed. Also one notes not even a well paid auditor noticed this either.

Now do remember the accounts were for the year ending 31st March 2022. They were signed off by Cllr Patricia Rolfe (Con) and placed on to Companies House on the 28 Dec 2022, as being true and fair. But we can say, they are NOT true as the four Directors of Oportunitas are NOT employees of the Council. 

There is no legislative basis for audit firms to issue modified opinions once they have been signed off, only a court of law can do this. So the cock up must remain on the accounts even though the sentence below is not true.

Now as we said that wasn’t the only cock up which had to be corrected.

Report Number A/22/39  highlights a procedural matter which was required to be reported to Council, following a decision made on 14th December 2022 by Cabinet not to increase Member allowances by the September CPI rate (10.1%) and the subsequent approval of the General Fund budget by Council at its meeting on 22 February 2023. Member allowance increases are applied automatically under the Council’s Constitution, this matter ought to have been – but was not – specifically highlighted in the Council papers seeking approval of the General Fund budget on 22 February 2023. As such it was necessary to bring the report to full council to rectify the cock up.

So two cock ups at the final full council before the elections.

There have been many over the last four years, like our investigation into East Kent Housing which led to it being brought back in house. The financial and contract irregularities, the lost £5m on Princes Parade and much much more.

So the future of our Council is now in your hands, you the residents, so please get out and vote on the 4th May 2023.

Oh and do ask yourself this simple question which our public face has put into a song.

The Shepway Vox Team

Delivering Council Cock Up after Cock Up since 2015