16 November (Part 2) - We’re doomed I tell you; doomed!
A couple of weeks ago I was lamenting the fact that the anonymous messages
had dried up, it probably didn’t help that
the
facility was broken for a while for reasons
unknown, but clearly it is working now, half a dozen messages over the weekend
and some of them back to commenting on finance matters.
I don’t know who these people are but there have been claims that the authors
are working or have worked in the boroughs of Barnet, Newham and Bexley, the
first two having become Bexley’s recruiting ground for senior staff. Goodness
knows why because neither, that is oneSource rather than Newham, have been
shining examples of financial rectitude and current staff (maybe past?) have
been
forecasting a financial disaster for some time. Enormous frauds going unnoticed, poor
choice of software solutions and a prediction that under the same management
Bexley would go gurgling down the same drain.
Accountancy is not something I know anything about. I know enough to keep my own
out of trouble but that is as far as it goes, when it comes to balancing
Bexley’s books my eyes glaze over. I get the impression that most Councillors
and some finance staff are the same. I therefore present you with the worries of
what I think must be two finance people and two from what claim to be residents.
Make of it what you will.
How does Bexley survive with so few reserves? Well basically it removes £8 million of debt on something to do with schools.
It seems by taking out the figure from the report Bexley looks better off. A miracle.
Is this a real measure or a sleight of hand?
In the narrative it says it’s a professional judgment by the Director of Finance. Whatever it is, it helps keep Bexley afloat
with over £30 million of reserves so the tough do not need to get going. It is something over here in Romford our Director of
Finance could learn.
The writer provides
three documents to back up his case which appear here.
In October Bexley and Havering reported their problems. At Havering they said even after grants from Government
they would overspend by £15 million, and they would therefore have to use reserves. Not so at Bexley.
Despite a similar story the Director of Finance and his team didn’t mention anything like such a big hit on reserves.
On the contrary. Reserves would go up. Is it because the auditors said the Council lacked financial resilience?
Or because the Director of Finance doesn’t want to admit it until October 2021. With just £30 million in the Bank there
isn’t anywhere to go. But there is no admission.
Even reducing staffing only balances the book for next year. Not this.
Once again the author provides documentation, this time from Havering.
The following messages claim to be from residents, or "Angry resident" as one describes himself.
I don’t believe he is only a Bexley resident, too familiar with names I would say.
Between December 2016 and December 2018 Paul Thorogood was Director of Finance of oneSource. In that time there was a lot of
dissatisfaction with how things were running, within the councils and amongst staff. Things so bad they stopped doing customer
surveys. But they did have a finance improvement plan.
A Finance improvement plan was presented to Bexley’s Audit Committee. Members questioned Nicky Morris who said it was ambitious
to get things done by December 2020. But she said it was doable. But in two years at oneSource Mr. Thorogood didn’t manage it
and since August 2020 what has been achieved?
There will be no update until January 2021 but by then it could be too late.
See in the survey from 2018 if anything is different. Same failings three years ago continue so when can residents expect
delivery? And with 150 job losses how can they trust Paul to deliver? He’s spent the money and no idea of filling the black hole.
Supporting documents are similar which makes me think it might be a very informed Bexley resident. And to wrap up, yet another…
Are these people qualified? I have my doubts about them all. We are all doomed.
Well that is one comment I can appreciate and understand!