How the Council whacked it on the plastic
This just in from County Hall:
"Cornwall Council is the largest unitary council and one of the largest local authorities in the country with an annual budget of more than £1.2 billion. Using credit cards is an efficient and transparent method of payment and is standard practice in both the public and private sectors. While we accept that the figure quoted in the Daily Telegraph article for credit card spending appears high, it is important to recognise that the Council's overall budget for this same three year period was over £3.5 billion."We have also disputed the accuracy of some of the figures quoted by the Daily Telegraph. One of the largest areas of spending highlighted in the article was for hotels and travel. Unfortunately the figures quoted in the article have not been converted from the original currencies - producing a misleadingly high figure. One example of this is a figure of £114,142 for hotel costs in India for an educational exchange involving teachers from Cornish schools. This amount was actually in Indian Rupees and would have been £1,645 in UK currency. There are similar inaccuracies in the amounts highlighted for restaurant payments - with one figure of £15,640 quoted for a restaurant in Japan during another educational exchange. This amount is in Japanese Jen and would be £118 in UK currency. We are still checking these figures but so far estimate that at least £1.3 million of the costs highlighted for overseas travel and hotels are wrong.
"Cornwall Council is committed to achieving the best possible value for money for council tax payers in Cornwall" said Council Leader Alec Robertson. "All spending, including credit card spending, is very closely monitored and strict financial controls are in place.
"However, while we are committed to being open and transparent, this incident shows the importance of analysing raw data carefully and responsibly. Unfortunately the deadline set by the newspaper meant that we were unable to check all the figures before the article was published. We are disappointed that, having told the journalist that the information was inaccurate, they did not give us the time to provide them with the accurate information."
I wonder how much time Alec thinks is reasonable. When the went to press last night it said Cornwall Council had been given an additional three days to explain the answers which the council itself had earlier provided in response to a Freedom of Information question.
The fact that the council can't tell the difference between pounds and rupees might explain the mind-boggling headline figures for some of the credit card items. It hardly inspires confidence in the council's financial controls. And we still don't know why it was necessary to spend any money at all on things like fish tanks, disco equipment or silk ties.
This story has legs.
I'm ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Devon’s Graham Smith, blogging on news, views and some fresh insights into West Country life, particularly the way government works locally and nationally.
Comment number 1.
At 28th May 2011, CornishPastyMan wrote:If these simple mistakes are being made on data that is being presented to county tax payers and the world then surely it raises the question of how the rest of the finances and accoutning is run. Eric Pickles should be jumping in and an audit should occur and he bosses and MP's ahouldbe pulled up on any points and pay directly out of salaries and benefit packages. They can no longer be unaccountab le for poor business management which is what the council is at the end of the day.
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Comment number 2.
At 28th May 2011, Hippoglossus wrote:News such as this is so sad. In recent years the honesty and integrity of our public officials has fallen to the level of corruption expected in some African States.
If true, some of these expenses mentioned in the "Telegraph"are pure theft and any officials found guilty should be jailed and should lose their pensions.
Reading this article left a nasty taste in my mouth. As a Devonian I sympathise with my Cornish neighbours’ embarrassment. They don’t deserve Public Servants of such weak moral calibre.
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Comment number 3.
At 28th May 2011, FromTheRealWorld wrote:Not sure this foreign currency reason rings true, my credit/debit card bills are presented with sterling amounts in the right hand column, with the foreign amounts in small print in the item description. Not too difficult to identify the relevant figures.
As for paying South West Water with a card, haven't they discovered direct debits and thereby 'reduce' the credit card totals.
One last point, I'm sure HMRC will be really interested in some of these leaving/retirement/general gift costs as well as the allowable business expense justifications.
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Comment number 4.
At 29th May 2011, oneliskeardvoice wrote:In addition to the apparent total incompetance of the council in mixing currencies, and the seemingly wild extravagence, one does also have to question their priorities. The cost of parking in Cornish towns and villages has just gone up and there are valid concerns that this will affect local businesses and communities; roads are not being repaired; grass not cut; essential services are loosing employees. Despite a substantial majority voting against the unitary authority in the 'unofficial' referrendum, the last (Lib Dem) council pushed ahead. We pay a tax every time we cross the Tamar bridge into Plymouth, whereas those using the newer bridges from Tavistock or Exeter, for example, pay no toll. Is Cornwall Council totally unaccountable? How many of us know who our councillors are, what they stand for and what they do in our name?
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Comment number 5.
At 29th May 2011, Dave the rave wrote:Another reason, not that any were needed, why the county council should have it's powers and ability to spend our money, cut back to the bare essentials.
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Comment number 6.
At 30th May 2011, deadloss wrote:said it before and Iwill say it again NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE
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Comment number 7.
At 30th May 2011, m4xp0wer wrote:All figures quoted are £500 minimum. So what's the total spend if we include all expenditure on items that were less than £500?
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