Green Party
Councillor, Ian Driver, has accused Thanet District Council of behaving like “gangster
style law breakers and rule benders” in
order to cover up a secret deal with Transeuropa Ferries (TEF) which has cost
the council £3.3 million in unpaid bills which is unlikely to be recovered
following TEFs liquidation in April.
Said Driver
“over the past 8 weeks I have made 4 requests to see key documents about the
secret deal with TEF. On each occasion my request has been rejected. My latest
request under the Audit Commission Act 1998 to inspect the Council’s accounts
and documents related to the secret TEF
debt deal has turned into a farce”. |
| RESEVOIR COUNCIL BAD BOYS |
“I asked to inspect and copy a large number of documents
which will help me to establish the truth behind this secret £3.3million debt
deal. However Sarah Martin, the Council’s Financial Services Manager, has told
me that I will not be allowed to copy these documents”.
“Sarah
Martin’s decision is unlawful. Section 15.1 of the Audit Commission Act allows anyone
inspecting the Council’s Accounts to
take copies of any or all of the documents inspected. Furthermore the Audit
Commission publication Council Accounts a Guide to your Rights (April 2012)
also makes it clear that I can copy the documents I have asked to
inspect”.
“Most amazing
of all advice published on Thanet Council’s website says I have right to copy the documents I
will inspecting yet Sarah Martin is now saying that even though the Council’s own
guidance says I can take copies of the documents she won’t let me. This is
unbelievable!”.
I can only
assume that this “gangster style” conspiracy of
lawbreaking and rule bending is deliberately aimed at frustrating my
efforts to get to the truth behind the secret £3.3. million debt deal with TEF
which will ultimately be paid for by Thanet Council tax-payers”.
In August
Driver will be appealing to the Information Commissioner against the Council’s
decision to withhold key TEF debt deal documents from him. If the Commissioner rules
in Driver’s favour he has promised to publish the documents and “let the public of
Thanet decide whether top council officers and Labour and
Conservative political bosses did the right thing by secretly allowing TEF
to run up a debt of f £3.3 million which we will all have to pay for”.
Sarah
Martin’s email to Ian Driver
Thank
you for your e-mail and your attached request to inspect a number of the
council's records relating to the Transeuropa debt.I am conscious that the
Account and Audit Regulations give you the right to inspect, but not the right
to make copies. I have therefore considered your request and have commented
below on the information I can let you see in accordance with the regulations,
but must stress that you will not be allowed to take copies of any of the
documents provided for your inspection.Section 15 of the Audit Commission Act 1998
(1)At each audit under this Act, other than an audit of accounts of a health service body, any persons interested may— (a)inspect the accounts to be audited and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts relating to them, and (b)make copies of all or any part of the accounts and those other documents
The Audit Commission Council Accounts
A Guide to Your Rights
http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/about-us/contact-us/querying-council-accounts/council-accounts-a-guide-to-your-rights/The law says you may inspect the accounts to be audited and all ‘books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts’ relating to them for that financial year. It also allows you to make copies of all, or any part, of the accounts and those other documents
Nobody should try to stop you from inspecting and copying documents, but you must also always act reasonably.
Thanet Council’s Guidance on
copying documents
http://www.thanet.gov.uk/council__democracy/performance/financial_services.aspx
From 15 July
2013 to 9 August 2013 between 9.00 am and 4.30 pm each weekday any person may
inspect the accounts of the Council for the year ended 31 March 2013 and
certain related documents (comprising books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers
and receipts) at the address given below. They may also make copies of
the accounts and documents.
Raise it at council Ian and sack her and call in the police for a full investigation and arrests as at Caerphilly Council. We can do without these fraudsters on the rates.
ReplyDeleteThe Council can't stop you unless they have good reason.
ReplyDeleteYou can make copies and these can be facsimile copies, not written notes which they will try to convince you is acceptable.
What is this reason?
Many people think it is because the Council are scared of the consequences to individual officers and Councillors if the truth is published.
The public is appalled by the council's behaviour. The lack of transparency appears to be solely to protect alleged maladministration.
You've definitely captured the mood with that picture of The Reservoir Dogs. I've already matched up MR BLONDE. I'm now working on MR BLUE, MR BROWN, MR WHITE, MR ORANGE and I think I can match up MR PINK. Loving this new game.
ReplyDeleteIs it okay to make a copy with a quill pen, but not take a copy as in removing one or like taking a photo copy. The old M v T ploy!
ReplyDeleteThe bloke in the shell suit and the elderly geezer in your photo look like TDC. The others don't. Who else should be sacked at TDC besides Sarah Martin?
ReplyDeleteFOI doesn't restrict access or copies of TDC etc accounts. These should be emailed/posted within 20 working days or sooner. Any restrictions or censorship has to be demonstrated as to why it is in the public interest. Given the public fund TDC etc such a restriction is invariably in the interest of their own salaries and pensions or political prestige.