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Campaigners demand WCC Chief Executive resignation (February 24, 2010)
Campaigners today called for the immediate resignation of Westminster City Council Chief Executive, Mike More, for his failure to take appropriate action against 2 senior WCC Officers.
The two officers have, firstly, been named as subject to a Police investigation, and secondly, have admitted to authorising the payment of invoices from unauthorised, non-contracted suppliers.
As Council Officers around the UK were left reeling at the announcement that WCC had become the second Council subject to a Police investigation with regards to their dealings with NSL Limited, NTBPT Chairman, Warren Djanogly, who filed the complaint against WCC following advice from the District Auditor, expressed outrage at the response he has received directly from Mr More.
Mr More penned what Djanogly described as "an intimidatory email musing on whether I had considered the potential consequences of making, and publicising, unwarranted allegations of fraud against public officials."
Referring to the complaint lodged with the Police, Djanogly explained: "Had Mr More bothered to read the complaint before hastily jumping to vilify its author, he would be in no doubt that there can be only one of two possible outcomes. Either the allegations of document fabrication are warranted, or these individuals have conspired to deceive the Cabinet, since no reference to any variation or change of contractor was made known to the Audit & Performance Committee in February 2009. This allowed the deliberate concealing of the procedural flaws that allowed NCP Services Limted to have been illegitimately novated the £14m annual contract. This was done by an Officer without delegated powers, and without proper financial examination of NSL, or even the Parent Company alleged to have supplied a guarantee. Either outcome would surely warrant an immediate suspension if not dismissal."
Reflecting that it could be Mr More himself who has not considered the potential consequences of his inaction, Djanogly added: "This is the second time I have brought evidence to Mr More of highly questionable behaviour of these two officers. The first related to violations of procurement procedures & framework agreements, which Mr More simply brushed aside and which is now the subject of a full EU Commissioners’ investigation. That episode alone would seem to cast doubt of Mr More's tenure as Chief Executive of a Public Authority."
There are also major concerns over the public money paid out by Westminster between March 2007 and March 2008. In an email to Cllr. Dimoldenberg, leader of Labour opposition in the council, Peter Large claimed that no payments had been made to NSL Services Ltd until Jan 2008, with money instead being paid to 'NCP Services', an un-contracted company.
In response to Mr More's press statement claiming that the allegations were "part of an ongoing campaign by a motorbike protest group who are unhappy over parking charges in Westminster", Campaign Spokesman, Charlie Lort-Phillips said: “Mr More's statement is most notable for its omissions with regard to any internal action or investigation. Using the fact that the allegations had been made by a protest group as an excuse to do nothing would be bad enough, but to then claim confidence in the properly letting of contracts when WCC Head of Legal has already stated that the procedures were "flawed" can only reinforce the view that Mr More is unfit to continue in Public Office."
Campaigners point to a recent newspaper article by Council Leader Colin Barrow in which he claimed to be working hard to rid the Council of the Dame Shirley Porter legacy by becoming far more transparent. They called on Mr Barrow to make a statement as to Mr More's future as a public servant.
Mr Djanogly added: "If the integrity of the Council is to be restored, the either Mr Barrow should act, or Mr More should do the honourable thing and resign."Click here to return to the News page
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