Lost the Plot

When faced with tough questions to answer over the failed £32m Carrilion Contract fiasco on Northamptonshire County Council the ruling Tories come up with a rather unique if not totally plausible defence of saying that they could find no evidence, no paper trail as to what went wrong and therefore they couldn't decide who was responsible!

In 2007, officials from Northamptonshire County Council agreed an £8 million a year deal with West Midlands-based construction firm Carillion to take over the management of the council's buildings.

But earlier this year, the council unexpectedly pulled out of the contract. It later emerged the way the council signed-off the deal may have been illegal and many key documents could not be found at County Hall.

Cllr Bill Parker the portfolio Holder for Finance told the local newspaper that

"There are some big gaps in the investigation where we just can't find the information. But because many officers who were involved in the deal have now left the council, I suspect quite a lot of it went out in boxes when they walked out of the door."

His cavalier attitude to the whole affair was echoed by the Cllr previously holding the purse strings Cllr Robin Brown who said

"I don't think any documents have been lost on purpose and there's no justification for any disciplinary action."

And to sum the whole matter up the leader of the Council Mr Pastry himself Jim Harker calmed our concerns by telling us

"There's no evidence full stop and that's the crux of the problem."

Well not quite Jim, for whilst it might be convenient for the Tory administration that all the evidence has disappeared it leave the public wondering just what sort of show these jokers are running?

Recently when a freedom of Information request was submitted to the County Council questioning the amounts the authority had spent on Consultants we were told "Sorry we can't find the information on our computer" Its the equivalent of the Little Britain sketch where "The computer says no"

No doubt at next weeks Council meeting we will get the opportunity to question how hard they looked and remark at how convenient it is for the ruling administration for evidence to have been lost.

But it won't wash with me nor I doubt the public. An authority which has control of over £400m of our money a year needs to respond a little more professionally when challenged over its malpractice, as it is clear that what has been lost along with the paperwork is the Councils reputation and along with it the already tarnished record of the local Tory's Party in managing the County' finances.

Political fools and the taxpayers money it seems are far too easily parted!