STOP PRESS - This Tory Council is threatening to use taxpayers' money to sue me if I send this by email to Dorset Councillors! They will not fetter the free press in this way I can assure you.
This post brings together a couple of themes which epitomise everything that is wrong with our failing local government system, and hang on in there local readers since a notorious Sandwell figure features in this sorry tale from the south coast.
Councils across the land are going bust but Councillors continue to spend like drunken sailors (no offence to inebriated matelots). And in many councils the Tories are (almost) as bad as bent Sandwell Labour.
In Sandwell this blog exposed a scam whereby bent Labour sidestep employment and equality laws to appoint people without going through tiresome processes to assess their suitability or aptitude. They do this by simply declaring that a hitherto permanent post needs to be filled on an "interim" (temporary) basis or simply create new "interim" posts. In Sadders bent Labour tried to provide cover for their contempt for the law, and the Council's own rules, by involving that notorious mafia, the Local Government Association (The "LGA" or "Lying, Greedy, Arseholes") in the supposedly "fair" interim recruitment process. Thus when former Council Leader [sic] Cllr Rajbir "The Boy Blunder" Singh sacked Chief Exec, David Stevens, he used WhatsApp and other deletable message apps etc., to appoint a new "Interim Chief Executive", Kim Bromley-Derry, via the LGA. And when Keir "Sir Woodenarse" Starmer said he was going to take a personal interest in Sandwell he was true to his word and his crony, Imogen Walker, was made "Interim Head of the Leader's Office" - a brand new post. The fact that Walker actually lives at least 256 miles from Sandwell in Scotland was no bar to the appointment, and the taxpayer has been lining her pockets ever since. [The Information Commissioner is investigating these appointments given that the LGA has tried to conceal documentation relating to their role in these sordid affairs. It should also be said that neither the three Sandwell MP's nor the small but ever-shrinking group of hapless Tory Councillors have raised any public objections to these appointments. Oh, and by the way, the LGA receives huge sums of taxpayers' money despite behaving like a medieval guild.]
I should add that in bent Councils like Labour Sandwell (currently in Government Special measures due to serious governance issues) once a "rigged" candidate is agreed, a no-hoper is also interviewed to make it look as if there had been some sort of competitive process.
Dorset Council has a Chief Executive called Matthew Prosser who, as it happens, also happens to be President of another local government "jobs for the boys and girls" outfit which goes by the absurd name of Solace UK. WTF? Solace seeks to help senior local government officers keep their seats on the gravy train.
Underneath the Legal Notice below is a link to an ongoing Freedom of Information Request concerning Dorset's employment on an "Interim" basis of disgraced former Sandwell Chief Executive, Jan Britton [Skidders passim ad nauseum] as "Interim Director of Place" [FFS]. Incredibly this xxxx has been employed by Tory Dorset for 12 months at a salary of not less than £150k per annum despite his appalling misconduct in Sadders. To save those who don't have the time or inclination to review the FOI request I have also set out a helpful precis of the documents Dorset has released about this scandal so far - again below the Legal Notice.
Another issue routinely exposed by The Skidder is the sheer spinelessness of local councillors, especially when so many are vicious bullies. Despite standing for election they are not tough, independently-minded, individuals but pathetic apparatchiks of their party machines - wholly incapable of being able to think or speak for themselves. As we shall see, what is true in Sadders (both on the Labour and Tory sides of the fence) is true of at least four Dorset Tories.
Just one other thing, in passing, before we get to the main course, but it is worth noting that these absurd "Interim" posts can also lead to large sums of public money being handed to recruitment agencies. Anyone who peruses the precis below will note the feeding frenzy as recruitment agencies jostled to get the juicy commissions us taxpayers are forced to pay for this way of filling posts. Although Dorset appears to have a formal system (via Commensura?) for recruitment, Prosser took it upon himself to communicate directly with Solace. Further many of the recruitment firms tried to game the system by sending in CV's other than by the "proper channels". It should be noted that they mostly bypassed the Head of Human Resources, Matthews, and communicated directly with Prosser. Finally, on this subject (and the FOIA is ongoing) Prosser has clammed-up on whether Solace - his organisation - received commission from us taxpayers here. WTS!
And one caveat. There is a Freedom of Information Internal Review pending and readers can see the issues I have raised (if they are very bored) via the link below.
It seems from the Dorset disclosure to date that Dorset has a contractual procurement channel or "framework" for recruitment but that Mr Prosser decided to personally contact the organisation he is President of, Solace, to canvass for candidates - and, at the very least, give them a head start. We shall see shortly, that Dorset does employ - no doubt at considerable expense to the taxpayer - a "Head of Human Resources" although as we shall, Mr Christopher Matthews, appears to be a pathetic (metaphorical) rimmer of his boss. Despite this Prosser took it upon himself to make the running on the recruitment of this post.
Further, Prosser appears - at least from the disclosure to date - to have unilaterally decided not to fill the existing post on a permanent basis but to advertise it as an "interim one" and you will have seen, as above, that provides cover for councils to do pretty much what the hell they like. Dorset is a Tory Council and Prosser sought political cover for his decision via the Council Leader, Conservative Spencer Flower (pictured below) saying in an email of 10th October, 2023 that he had "spoken" with Flower about making only an interim appointment.
Incidentally, Flower himself has a chequered history in local government having been convicted of "illegal voting" in 2015 by local Magistrates. He boasted afterwards that he had only been given a conditional discharge since his misconduct had merely been a "breach of a technicality". Clearly his Tory colleagues forgot and/or forgave since he is back as Council Leader again. Just the sort of chap perhaps to overlook the appalling record of Jan Britton, I wonder? Well he won't respond to this journalist. (See further below.)
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| Courtesy of the BBC website |
Solace sent a number of CV's directly to Prosser who seems to have taken a shine to Britton despite his appalling antics in Sandwell. But there was a flood of applicants via other recruitment agencies. Nevertheless, Prosser whittled the number down to two (both via Solace) and then wrote this to Matthews:
"I spoke to two interims ahead of putting them in front of some [elected] members ... I am tempted to just put one in front of members, can you let me know how HR might support me in the process".
On the face of it this appears on 24th October, 2023 to be a clear attempt to rig the process so that the awful Britton was the only candidate. But there seems to have been a change of plan and two candidates came back into the frame, at least nominally. Both were via Solace. And there are clear references in the correspondence that Solace were likely to receive fees in respect of their involvement.
As above, Dorset has some sort of clear contractual arrangements for recruitment but Prosser was going off piste in favour of "his" favoured organisation. One might have expected a "professional" like Matthews to have been alarmed about what was going on but he wrote to Prosser on the 25th:
"Have the two candidates come through Solace for Business? If so, I will ensure we have a clear route of engagement which is compliant from a procurement perspective."
You will not be surprised that I have asked for in-depth disclosure of what this pair were up to and how they were going to make this seemingly non-compliant activity, er, "compliant".
More applications came flooding in but Prosser was determined not to waste any time and to force the appointment through asap. At this point Matthews seems to have grown a very small pair of balls since he wrote on 27th October saying that he agreed with his boss's (Prosser's) shortlist apart from one! Oooooooh.
But then he castrated himself with this classic piece of arslikhan:
"[Have identified three potential candidates as] potentially good enough for interview but I know you may have insight that I don't that might come into play."
Pass the sick bag, Alice. And was the "insight" that Britton was to get the job?
Still more applications rolled in but Prosser had already made his mind up, and told three Tory Councillors that there were FOUR incredibly strong candidates ready for interview. They were co-opted to interview this quartet. Despite the importance of the post and the high salary the interviews were to last just 30 minutes each. And lo, Jan Britton was selected.
Still more applications were coming in but it was too late. The plan for a six to nine month contract was extended by Prosser (presumably with the authorisation of Flowers) to a 12 month one at a figure around £150k. Discussions were to take place with Solace as to their fees.
Now Prosser and Matthews must have done due diligence on, at least, the four candidates for interview and chosen to ignore Britton's gross misconduct at Sandwell. Most readers will be very well aware of this sickening tale via this blog, and the facts about Britton's appalling behaviour have been in the public domain for many years. What did the due diligence of this pair of "professionals" show, since a simple Google search would reveal a catalogue of horror stories? For those reading this who are unfamiliar with Britton's sh*tbaggery you can read a summary here:
https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2023/12/desperate-dorset-council-employ-jan.html
Even this post was incomplete since it failed to deal, for example, with the 25-year Serco Contract which Britton was intimately involved in foisting on the people of Sandwell. During that period Britton started a deeply corrupt "work" relationship with a lowly employee called Paul Reeves and rapidly promoted him.
Since the above blog was posted Reeves has been convicted of a number of housing fraud offences and received a suspended jail sentence. You can read about that here:
https://thesandwellskidder.blogspot.com/2024/01/nasty-sandwell-scumbag-paul-reeves-gets.html
Clearly Prosser and Matthews think that a Chief Executive who, amongst many other things, cost his Council hundred of thousands of pounds by subverting a standards case against a Labour Councillor, or one who conspired with Reeves so that they both lied on oath at a criminal trial, is just the sort of guy Dorset needs but, presented with the due diligence, why did the three Tory councillors also think Britton was in any way suitable to be employed in a senior capacity?
I wrote to the three Tory Councillors, Ray Bryan (St Leonards and St Ives ward), Jill Haynes (Chalk Valleys) and Andrew Parry (West Parley) - pictured - links elsewhere and not included in this copy of the email:
"THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY
I understand that you three Councillors were directly involved in a very expensive deal to employ the disgraced former Chief Executive of Sandwell Council, Jan Britton, on a 12-month "day rate" package, seemingly with commission also payable to Solace of which your Chief Executive, Mr Prosser, is the President. ( I note that your Leader seemingly agreed that the substantive position should be an interim one, on day rates, with Mr Prosser).
You will be familiar with my FOIA request concerning this bizarre appointment (link below) and I enclose a precis of the timeline for your convenience. Obviously this raises very great concern (and I shall be dealing with further aspects of the FOIA in due course) but suffice to say here that the process "stinks". I refer in particular to the items in bold in the timeline.
If you wish to comment on the process at this stage. please do so.
It appears that the three of you attended the interviews. Jan Britton will have declared at least some of his appalling record via his CV and, more importantly, Messrs Prosser and Matthews will have supplied you with their due diligence on him prior to the interview. Britton's history is in the public domain and a recent post (link below) details some (though not all) of his extraordinary conduct. He is a major reason - with others - why Sandwell is currently In Government special measures. In the circumstances, why were you three prepared to ignore all this and recommend his appointment? Your insight will be welcomed by my readers in Sandwell and, no doubt, folk in Dorset given the costs of this appointment.
"THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY
Last week I wrote to you concerning your role in the appointment of the disgraced former Chief Executive of corrupt Sandwell Council to a £150k per annum post at Dorset despite Jan Britton's appalling conduct over a prolonged period of time being chronicled via publicly available sources.
Although you are elected members of Dorset Council you felt unable to respond yourselves but instead you utilised taxpayers' money to have a senior Council employee send a frankly weird reply as your spokesperson.
I will shortly be writing about your involvement in this scandal but obviously have no desire to misrepresent you. Accordingly, based on the Council's FOIA disclosure and Mr Mair's strange email I propose writing that:
1. All three of you were engaged in the recruitment of the appalling Britton including the (apparently 30-minute) interview;
2. All three of you were supplied with due diligence from Messrs Prosser and Matthews so that you were fully aware of Britton's misconduct at Sandwell; and
3. That, as Mr Mair says, you objectively considered that Britton's history of misconduct at Sandwell was no bar to him being appointed to an Interim Directorship at Dorset (as above, at very considerable cost to the taxpayer).
I intend to write this all up on Thursday and so, if you wish to comment further,, or to correct any part of the above, please do so by 5pm on Wednesday."
(Mair claims that I somehow "misrepresented" his aggressive rants at me.)
Once again these feeble individuals were incapable of speaking for themselves and Mair sent another aggressive missive to me (indeed he is getting close - depending on where he circulates his bile - to hearing from my Solicitor!) Although I am a journalist, Mair has told me to butt out of Dorset matters, particularly as I am not a resident or taxpayer there (rather like, er, Jan Britton).
I also wrote to Spencer "Shy Retiring" Flower:
"THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY
Dorset's Director of Place left last year. On or around 10th October, 2023 you agreed with Chief Executive, Matthew Prosser, that the post should not be replaced in the normal way with a "permanent" appointee but that you preferred an Interim appointment for 6 to 9 months (also paid on "day rates"). Why?"
He too became a member of the Dorset Tory Wet Pants Club and is apparently too weak to reply.
So there we have it (at least until the next stage of the FOIA process. The good folk of Dorset are paying a fortune for Britton - who I understand is now in post - despite a truly appalling track record, thanks to the weakness of Tory Councillors. There are grave concerns too about the procurement process and the amount of commission Prosser swung for Solace. Local Government at its finest! I wonder what Simon Hoare MP, the Minister of Local Government would say about this omnishambles. Oh, hang on a minute - he's the MP for, er, North Dorset! This disgraceful episode is on HIS own patch and affects HIS own constituents and HIS own local Party members. You couldn't make it up.
The Tories currently face a year of electoral catastrophe and I think the voters of Dorset should pay heed to this post and act accordingly!
One final thought: Although Prosser forced this process through before a number of CV's were even received, he says that there were a total of 37 applicants. That means that there are at least 36 senior local government workers who are EVEN WORSE than Jan Britton. WTF????
LEGAL NOTICE (Version 4 from 8th October, 2023.)
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