Stockport Council News

MP Lisa Smart
Cllr Lisa Smart
Cllr Clarke
Cllr Roberts
34 Stockport Road
Romiley
Stockport
SK6 3AA

By recorded delivery

Wednesday, 18 July 2024

Dear All

Financial 2

This is the procedure you must all follow if a council taxpayer reports council wrongdoing to you.  You didn’t.

When a local councillor is made aware of financial irregularities, it is essential that they follow a structured and ethical approach to address the issue effectively and responsibly. Here are the steps a councillor should take:

1. Acknowledge the Concern

• Listen carefully to the individual reporting the irregularities and take detailed notes of the information provided.
• Thank the person for bringing the matter to their attention and assure them that the concern will be taken seriously.

2. Maintain Confidentiality

• Ensure that the identity of the whistleblower is protected to the extent possible, and reassure them about confidentiality.
• Avoid discussing the matter with anyone who does not need to know about it.

3. Gather Information

• Collect all relevant information and documentation related to the reported irregularities.
• Ask for specifics such as dates, amounts, involved parties, and any evidence the whistleblower might have.

4. Follow Procedures

• Refer to the council’s established policies and procedures for reporting and handling financial irregularities.
• Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

5. Report Internally

• Report the issue to the appropriate internal body, such as the council’s internal audit department, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), or a designated fraud investigation team.
• If the council has a whistleblowing policy, follow the steps outlined in that policy.

6. Escalate if Necessary

• If the issue involves senior management or if internal reporting mechanisms are compromised, escalate the concern to higher authorities such as the council leader, the external auditor, or relevant regulatory bodies.

7. Monitor the Process

• Keep track of the progress of the investigation to ensure it is being handled appropriately.
• Request regular updates and ensure that the investigation is thorough and impartial.

8. Ensure Resolution

• Ensure that appropriate actions are taken based on the findings of the investigation.
• This may include disciplinary action, policy changes, or legal proceedings if necessary.

9. Protect the Whistleblower

• Make sure that the whistleblower is protected from retaliation or adverse consequences.
• Ensure they are kept informed about the general progress and outcome of the investigation, within confidentiality limits.

10. Review and Learn

• After the issue is resolved, review the process to identify any weaknesses in the council’s procedures that allowed the irregularities to occur.
• Work on implementing stronger controls and preventive measures to avoid future occurrences.

11. Public Communication

• Depending on the severity and public interest in the issue, consider how to communicate the outcome to the public while maintaining necessary confidentiality.
• Be transparent about steps taken to address the issue and prevent future irregularities.

Conclusion

Handling financial irregularities with integrity, transparency, and adherence to proper procedures is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring the effective functioning of the council. By following these steps, a local councillor can address the issue responsibly and help maintain ethical standards within the council.Bottom of Form

The Council Monitoring Officer, Bates, appears to have belatedly admitted that I was correct in identifying a circa £200k error in the council report. I have been trying very hard for 15 years to report this to all of you.  You all claimed I was being vexatious and rude and offensive.  The Information Commissioner decided I had never been rude or offensive and the Council holds no evidence that I ever had been.

The Vale View school went from £5.5m in October 2005 to £7.5m in December 2005 and then on to £10m a few months later.  This is before the contamination remediation costs were added after the Council was forced to acknowledge the site was entirely contaminated with lead, arsenic and brown asbestos.

I want to know the final cost of the school including remediation costs – and I have been asking constantly since 2011 but was illegally prevented from doing so.  I have been quoted a price of £1,400,000 for this sort of work on this sort of site. 

I will sort out corruption at Stockport Council however long it takes me.

Yours

Sheila Oliver

Councillor Lisa Smart/Councillor Angela Clark
Stockport Town Hall
Edward Street
Stockport
SK1 3XE
By Recorded Delivery

Thursday, 01 February 2024

Dear Councillor Smart/Clark

You undertook at the full council meeting at Stockport Town Hall on 4^th October 2023 to represent me.  My questions have been erroneously branded as being vexatious by Stockport Council from the last time it was under Liberal Democrat control.  It was claimed that I had been rude and offensive.  The Information Commissioner decided that I had not been rude and offensive, but was asking too many questions.   I have that evidence, as does Stockport Council.  The Council has no evidence of my ever having been rude or offensive.   I need you to examine the relevant evidence yourself and decide if the questions were rude, offensive, wasting councillor/officer time or in the interests of public safety or the public purse.  I draw your attention to the relevant government advice, which was in place at the time these questions were first raised:-

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/armchair-auditors-are-here-to-stay

Your reply to me, when it was finally extracted from you, was ludicrous to say the least.  Because this took place in a different part of Stockport you can’t help me?  You promised to represent me – I live in your ward.  The offences were committed by LibDem Executive councillors, some of whom are now back in control of the council.

Financial Irregularities (Part 1)

I was branded vexatious by then LibDem run Stockport Council for raising the issue of financial irregularities.  In October 2005 the Vale View School was said to be costing £5.5million, by December 2005 it had gone up to £7.5 million.  By July 2006 the costs had risen to £8.2million, £2.40 million over budget.  It then rose shortly afterwards to £10 million Why was it considered vexatious of me to raise these matters?

I look forward to your reply.  I shall send this by snail mail as well, so you can’t claim you haven’t received it.

We don’t need another MP happy to turn a blind eye to the corruption of their political cohorts.

Yours

Sheila Oliver

http://www.stockport.gov.uk/services/councildemocracy/your_council/documentsandfacts/budgetsfinancialmonitoringreports/councilspending#pcards

Dear Mrs Oliver,

I am writing in response to your request for
information (ref FOI 30582).

The relevant Council Service(s) has searched for
the requested information and our response is as follows:

Are postal votes counted before the rest of the votes are
counted on election night, and if so which individuals are privy to the number
of votes cast for each party?

SMBC
can confirm that postal votes are not counted by candidate/party before the
close of poll on election day and so no individual is aware of the number of
votes received by any candidate/party before the count takes place.

The
process that is followed in respect of opening postal votes is specified in the
Representation of the People (England & Wales) Regulations 2001.
Essentially this provides that:

·
The envelope containing the postal vote statement
and the envelope containing the ballot paper(s) is opened

·
The postal vote statement is checked to ensure it is
signed and dated and the number on the statement matches that on the ballot
paper envelope

·
The signature and date of birth on the postal vote
statement are scanned and the details compared to the master images kept by the
Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) as part of the postal vote application
process

·
If the postal vote statement is accepted, the envelopes
containing the ballot paper(s) then passes to the next stage of the process

·
When the postal vote statements have been scanned and
adjudicated, the envelopes containing the ballot paper(s) are then opened and
the number of ballot papers received are counted FACE DOWNWARDS so that any
candidates/agents observing the process is not able to see which
candidate./party the elector has voted for. The ballot papers are not sorted
into candidates/parties but the total number of ballot papers received is
calculated and the ballot papers sealed into ballot boxes ready to be included
in the count when it commences after the polls close.

If
the signature or date of birth on the postal vote statement does not match that
held by the ERO the postal vote is rejected. Any elector whose vote is rejected
for these reasons is contacted after the election so they are aware their
vote was disallowed and if necessary they can provide a fresh signature.

Yours sincerely,

FOI Officer

From: Sheila
Oliver
Sent: 23 April 2015
21:29
To: FOI Officer
Subject: Compulsory
purchase/demolition of property opposite town hall for construction of
offices

Dear FoI
Officer

I believe buildings
from the 1840s opposite the town hall are being demolished in order to build
more office space. The entire town is full of empty office blocks. Who came up
with this proposed development and why?

Kind
regards

Sheila

From: Sheila
Oliver
Sent: 26 April 2015
06:59
To: FOI Officer
Subject: Postal
voting

Dear FoI
Officer

Are postal votes
counted before the rest of the votes are counted on election night, and if so
which individuals are privy to the number of votes cast for each
party?

Many thanks and kind
regards

Sheila