Solutions to protect your public pound.
£71,422 does not appear on either of Folkestone & Hythe District Council’s published purchase order data, or its payment to supplier data, for just one contractor.
One of my election commitments to residents who pay Council Tax is, to do my utmost to protect the public pound, if elected on May 4th. No other party or independent has, as far as I know, committed themselves to this. As such, this is why you should VOTE RYLANDS – Folkestone Central – on May 4th.
Of course I will put forward solutions to do this below, but first it’s necessary to understand why the public pound, adminstered by Folkestone & Hythe District Council, needs protecting. Also do remember the elected Cllrs were Tories, Greens, Lib Dems, Labour, UKIP and Wimble’s Independents, while all of what’s below went on. And they did nothing.
Under s26 of the Local Audit & Accountability Act 2014, any persons interested may inspect the Council’s accounts during a 30 day window. Any resident, including any sitting councillor, or journalist can:
inspect the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records,
So while the Council’s 2021/22 accounts were open for inspection, I asked for all the purchase orders, and invoices for Capel Groundworks Ltd. All data herein relates solely to this company. Nothing herein is intended to suggest or imply that they have engaged in illegal or improper conduct.
I received 44 purchase orders and 34 invoices for Capel Groundworks. These purchase orders and invoices were cross referenced with the Council’s published purchase order data, and published payment to suppliers data. What I discovered generates substantial cause for concern for all Council Tax payers in the district.
Purchase order HA00208 value is for £4,690 (net). It’s corresponding invoice is for £3,440 (net) and £4,128 with VAT @20%. Then checking the Council’s purchase order data, it states:
What you need to remember is, the value of all Purchase Orders in the Council’s published purchase order data, is the net figure, ie no VAT added. And only purchase orders over £5,000 are published. The Council’s published payment to suppliers data is, inclusive of VAT.
With 20% VAT on Purchase Order HA00208, the sum would be £5,628. This amount does not appear in the Council’s published Payment to Suppliers data. Given what the Shepway Vox Team has discovered previously about contract and financial irregularities, I am not surprised by this further irregularity. However, one example of something irregular in the data for contract with Capel Groundworks alone, is not something in and of itself to cause concern.
But of course, there are further irregularities in the purchase order data and invoice data, I received directly from the Council.
In the Council’s published payment to suppliers data there is a gross payment (with VAT) paid to Capel Groundworks for £15,620.40. This payment was made on the 21 Dec 2021. Without VAT this would be £13,017. It does not appear in the Council’s published purchase order data
As I said earlier, all purchase orders are without VAT, but there is no purchase order for this sum in the Council’s published purchase order data. Also, I did not receive this purchase order or its invoice when I requested it, while the accounts were open for inspection.
Again this is irregular and given that once is a mistake, twice is pattern, I looked further to see if this was a habit, and bad one at that the Council had fallen into. And lo and behold, what do you think I found? Quelle Surprise! More irregularities
Purchase Order HA00210 is for the sum £5,940, without VAT. It was raised on the 9 June 2021. With VAT the invoice should be for £7,128 (with VAT). Alas this sum does not appear in the Council’s published payment to suppliers data. Nor did I receive the invoice for this purchase order. And three is a habit.
But the Council’s irregularities around purchase orders, invoices and payments to suppliers goes beyond a habit. It is clear it has become an embedded addiction, with no evidence of any rehabilitation.
Purchase Order HA00394 is for £980 without VAT. It was raised on the 19 Dec 2021. With VAT the value would be £1,176. This sum is not the payment to suppliers data, nor did I receive the invoice.
Purchase Order HA00531 is for £3,475, without VAT. It was raised on the 28 Feb 2022. With VAT this value would be £4,170. This sum is not the payment to suppliers data, nor did I receive the corresponding invoice.
Purchase Order HA00543 is for £9,250, without VAT. This purchase order does not appear in the Council’s published purchased order data. It was raised on the 3 Feb 2022. With VAT, this value would be £11,100. This sum does not appear in the Council’s published payments to suppliers data. Nor did I receive the corresponding invoice.
Purchase Order HA00548 is for £5,840, without VAT. This purchase order does not appear in the Council’s published purchased order data. It was raised on the 7 March 2022. With VAT, this value would be £7,008. I did not receive the corresponding invoice.
Purchase Order HA00580 is for £6,840, without VAT. This purchase order does not appear in the Council’s published purchased order data. It was raised on the 23 March 2022. With VAT the value would be for £8,280. I did not receive the corresponding invoice.
I could go on, but I suspect you may have got the point by now
All the above data, given to me and/or published by Folkestone & Hythe District Council demonstrates a substantial level of incompetence. It also means the following:
£40,366 is missing from the Council’s published purchase order data for Capel Groundworks. Given the published purchase order data says Capel Groundworks received £113,998, this means the unpublished data (£40,366) is equal to 35% of the total data published. The total for all purchase orders for Capel Groundworks should read £154,364, but of course it does not.
As for the data missing from the Council’s payments to suppliers data for Capel Groundworks, this amounts to, £31,056. This means the unpublished data is equal to 12% of the total data published. The total for all payments to suppliers data for Capel Groundworks should read £298,877, but of course it does not.
The Council irregularities as set out in their published data, with just one company, Capel Groundworks Ltd, clearly demonstrates an embedded addiction, with no evidence of any rehabilitation, and a substantial level of incompetence. Do remember during 2021/22, the Council had more than 500 contracts with suppliers.
So what can be done to protect the residents of the district public pound?
1: Vote Rylands – Folkestone Central – May 4
2: Make it mandatory for all Cllrs to have comprehensive training relating to contracts and payments
3: Introduce a monthly Key Performance indicator of 99% to go before the Audit & Governance Committee, Finance & Performance Scrutiny Sub Committee, The Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the Cabinet & full Council. This way every elected Cllr becomes aware of these matters and cannot rely on the familiar excuse “I didn’t know”.
4: Ensure all incorrect published financial data is corrected in a timely matter as per Transparency Code 2015
5: Investigate all irregualrities, regardless if an officer resigns.
6: Bolster the Council counter fraud team, as currently there is just one trained member of staff, who in the main deals with housing benefit fraud claims.
7: Vote Rylands – Folkestone Central – May 4 to protect your public pound.
Published and Promoted by Bryan Rylands Flat D, Avenay Court, Sandgate Rd, Folkestone CT20, 2LN
Solutions to protest your public pound .
1. Get rid of Monk
2.Sack Khroud and Priest
3. Do not put an X against any Tory on May 4th
The fact these issues arose confirms management is dysfunctional.
One notes, most, but not all of the purchase orders referenced were raised by somebody with the surname of Vidler. A cursory browse across social media and elsewhere shows they have stabled horses; which I suspect doesn’t come cheap.
Some of those prices in the purchases orders for the works required do not reflect the reality of the costs of the materials. They are well above going rates. I work for a small company which undertakes similar works to CGW and order materials. The Council is NOT getting value for money. Surely getting three tenders would make this more competitive and obtain better value.
As a local government officer in procurement with 20 plus years experience, I note the procuring exercise in all of the purchase orders the day before they are required. This indicates poor procurement planning. This more often than not leads to an over-reliance on one company as a “go to” company, when in a hole. Such practice never leads to good procurement.
I am almost certain the officer/s mentioned in the purchase orders, do not have ready price lists for goods, such as tarmac, fencing, up to date labour costs, and other vitally important relevant data. On that basis they would never secure value for money for the ratepayer, regardless of what defence they might put forward.
Although most of the purchase orders are under £10k and not necessary to obtain 3 quotes for the work, because the Council’s procurement rules will say 3 quotes for £10k and above. As is hinted at there are a good number of small contracts which add up to more than a £100k in any one year. In this case it would be wise and prudent to go out to tender for the package of work, to allow more competitive pricing
With my extensive experience, I’d also say, the procuring officers have had very little training in procurement. I’d also say the council probably have not offered much, meaning the officers more likely than not have have no formal procurement qualifications. I would therefore recommend they join the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply who offer excellent qualifications
https://www.cips.org/qualifications
You State:
In the Council’s published payment to suppliers data there is a gross payment (with VAT) paid to Capel Groundworks for £15,620.40. This payment was made on the 21 Dec 2021. Without VAT this would be £12,496.32. It does not appear in the Council’s published purchase order data.
Your calculations are not correct on the above. A gross payment of £15,620.40 gives a net of VAT figure of £13,017.00. This figure or a total of several items may appear in the purchase order list.
Despite the above I agree with what the article is about.
I see Monk is now looking for votes in Downs East . He’s running scared because of the Vox in Folkestone Central .