Labour run Nottingham City Council rapped over £12m Job Fund and the report kept secret.
January 7, 2012 6:08 PM
By www.thisisnottingham.co.uk in Nottingham Evening Post
By www.thisisnottingham.co.uk in Nottingham Evening Post
The Nottingham Evening Post has recently printed two articles about a report by the District Auditor, Sue Sutherland. In the report, she decided that the council hasn't met its own rules, from it's constitution, about the way contracts are given to companies and organisations.
The Future Jobs Fund and the Community Programme are worth £12 million combined. The Evening Post quotes the auditor as saying "specific individuals failed to demonstrate appropriate accountability for the decisions taken". It also says that she has raised concerns over the conduct of former senior Labour councillor Hassan Ahmed. He may have failed to meet the council's code of conduct because of behaviour "which has compromised or is likely to compromise the impartiality of officers".
The Council have refused to publish the Auditor's report, which was completed in November.
Former Liberal Democrat Councillor Tony Sutton took concerns about the city's jobs plan to the district auditor. He has requested a copy of the report under the Freedom of Information Act, but hasn't received it. Tony said: "Why is the Council now afraid to let people see the final report? What have they got to hide?"
The portfolio holder responsible, former Labour Councillor Hassan Ahmed, was also criticised because of behaviour "which has compromised or is likely to compromise the impartiality of officers". Mr Ahmed has previously been found to have breached the Council's code of conduct by failing to register interests in five companies involved in training, enterprise and community development. He stood down at the last local election.
In March 2009 Labour councillor, Brian Grocock, referred himself to the standards committee due to his involvement in the council housing allocation scandal. The District Auditor also highlighted this case but it still hasn't been heard by the standards committee.
In the case of the jobs fund, the Council's standards committee has no power to take action against Mr Ahmed, because he resigned in May, but it can make the report public.
How long must the residents of the City of Nottingham wait to find out what happen?
The full articles can be seen at the Nottingham Evening Post's website below.
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/City-rapped-pound-12m-jobs-fund/story-14344438-detail/story.html
http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/Critical-report-published/story-14354464-detail/story.html
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