Found potential corruption in Council

[TheBurgandyonmytshirt]

What do I need to concretely prove this and who do I take it to?

I have found that a Director does have links to the company that wins most contracts. This company, I have proof of, is being commissioned without actually completing any required work (it’s all falsified).

The monitoring officer or the auditors sounds like a good place to start?

The monitoring officer in the Council? I was provided contradictory account. A SAR request also revealed that the Officer is being fed what to say.

(I feel like a mad conspiracy theorist)

A SAR or an FOI?

There’s far more corruption in the world today than there are ‘mad conspiracy theorists’.

Agreed.

I think it's very plausible you are correct Op

You could try

• the internal /external auditors
• chief exec
• local councillors
• local MP

What’s the whistleblowing procedure there?

Whistleblowing procedures are for staff though? Op hasn't said she works there

Go public or take it to the opposition of the council. They will have fun with it.

Take it to a good local journalist?

There should be a fraud team within the council, report it to them. They will deal with fraud committed by staff.

I’d use a scatter gun approach and email the chief exec, the leader of the council and the monitoring officer (which is usually the council’s solicitor).

And your MP. Just to get someone outside of the council.

Okay so the Chief Exec is best friends with the Director.

my local MP is also connected here too.

My council has a fraud team and 4 officers in this team. They regularly advertise their services internally as well as externally. See if your council has similar?

I would go to the councils auditors (internal and external)

There is a code of conduct for council officials and there should be a complaints and whistleblowing policy.

You need to contact the council's Monitoring Officer. Contact details should be on the website.

Thank you, shall take a look now at the Councils monitoring Policy. I just don’t feel entirely certain they’re not also corrupt here.

Private Eye - Rotten Boroughs.

This is probably as good a shout as anything.

Let someone expert dig at the shit.

its about £10million just from last year’s contracts

Thank you! Didn’t even know Private Eye was a thing, interesting read. Shall reach out to them

The reason I mention them is that, if it's all as mixed up and connected/corrupted in your council, you probably won't get a fair hearing from them.

Private Eye is your best shout. Also, go to the leader of the opposition group of councillors. So if one party is the ruling group on the council, choose a councillor not in that group. The monitoring officer may not be your best bet as they could be involved. If the local MP is from a different political party to the leader of the council then contact them. You can also do an FOI request. You can ask to see emails from a council officer in a defined period containing the name of the company. They may refuse on the grounds it is commercially sensitive. If they do then ask them to redact any figures in the emails.

Yes I would appreciate some ideas on FOIs

im always unsure what I can ask. I’ve not had any luck in the past, they just state it’s commercially sensitive. Only the SAR requests I’ve been able to connect dots as they resolve my complaints all via emails between each other