Sandwell College's Gift to Labour (from the taxpayer......)

Regulars readers will know that Sandwell College, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (Labour-controlled) and Interserve have stitched up a deal between them to the exclusion of all other parties and without putting the multi-million pound construction contract out to tender or other open competition for the destruction of The Public, West Bromwich and its tacky conversion into a college.

They have done their best to keep the deal secret even though it is entirely funded by the taxpayer and a Freedom Of Information Act request was treated with utter contempt for us mere scum - see my earlier blog - "Taking the Urine". The FOI request is now subject to an appeal but don't hold your breath.....This secrecy is all very strange as this was supposed to be such a "great" deal!

In November, 2013 the £165,000 Chief Executive of Sandwell SMBC was put on the Board of Governors of the College. At their meeting of 9th December, 2013 - the minutes of which are still being kept secret even though we are now into April - they resolved as follows:

Sandwell College

Extract from the minutes of the meeting of the Board of Governors
held on Monday 9th December 2013


B13.172 Approval of Expenditure B13.172

 i) Rental of Rooms at Terry Duffy House

 The Vice-Principal (D&ER) presented a report seeking approval for the College to
rent a number of rooms in Terry Duffy House from January to June 2014 in order to
accommodate programmes for the unemployed. This request was being made as
there were no rooms available within Central Campus. The income from the
unemployed programmes and associated costs were explained. It was noted that
IT, furniture and whiteboards would be transferable to the Public.


 RESOLVED: that the Board of Governors approve a short term lease of the
second floor of Terry Duffy House, from January to June 2014, at a
total cost of £47,118.10 including VAT (total cost includes rent, IT,
furniture, carpet, whiteboards and legal fees).

No wonder they have been keeping this secret! Because the minutes are still being hidden it is not yet known whether Britton was actually at the meeting.

TERRY DUFFY HOUSE IS OWNED BY LABOUR PARTY PROPERTIES LIMITED. It is the base for the local Labour Party and for two Labour MP's - Wealthy Watson and Bailey (who he?).

There are acres of empty offices in West Bromwich but this just happened to be the venue chosen! This is public money being spent and so one must wonder why the taxpayer is buying carpet for the Labour Party when the College is, allegedly, only staying for 6 months. Knocking off the VAT & the fripperies I guess the rent for just one floor only is £5,000 a month or more (ie at least £30,000 of the ex-vat sum). A tidy little donation to Labour with election expenses arising.

It remains to be seen as this scandal unfolds whether Ed Milliband will arrange for this money to be returned to the taxpayer. Has he got the Balls (and I don't mean the bloke who helped wreck the economy)?

PS If anyone can let me know the identity of the College's auditors to save me looking it up that would be helpful.

THE SANDWELL SKIDDER - A COMMUNITY BLOG

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