Ashford Borough Council Accountancy Errors 2010

Ashford Borough Council seems unable to clarify what they spent in 2010.

The Kentish Express reports that figures provided by Ashford Borough Council are extraordinarily inaccurate as to account for their spending.

Not only did they list £5,000 spent on Homoeopathy, but they miscalculated train fare expenses by a staggering £945,179.

I have to admit, it gives me little faith in accounting for where my council tax is going.

Considering the Council is looking to inherit some of the public health schemes from the dissolution of the Primary Care Trust, £5,000 on homoeopathy could be seen as a sweetener and forward thinking. Of course, if Homoeopathy was real health care and not just a placebo. But to discover that the Council's record keeping is so inaccurate as to misrepresent a landlord for a private health business is nothing short of shocking.

One has to wonder what else they may have misrepresented when listing incomings and outgoings.

The misrepresentation of travel expenses is far more concerning. By making such an error, Ashford Borough Council is insinuating that £960,000 is an acceptable amount to spend on trains for their staff.

That this money is, in fact, going towards the station forecourt is an interesting revelation. At Council Meetings in 2010, the Conservative Party refuted claims they would be able to have any input in the design and renovation of the station forecourt. Even when faced with breaches of Hackney Carriage Licence Law, breaches of the Equality Act and accessibility regulations, the leading party asserted they had no say in the matter.

So we can deduce they either (a) have willingly given £945,179 to South Eastern as a gift and not a contract, thereby the council have no say, (b) they do not consider that the equivalent council tax for three wards in the borough is enough money to have a say in such a project they are co-funding, or, (c) they denied responsibility when it did in fact exist.

None of which are particularly positive reflection of the current administration.