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It has been in the Bournemouth Echo for some weeks (see their w
As a ratepayer I think Mr Parker's treatment has been a disgrace
Here is a report which points out that by suspending him they were able to prevent him speaking to an audit committee. And I thought whistle blowers were to be looked after these days !
We are supposed to make grubby little reports that clients have converted pencils and postage stamps to their own use, but when an Accountant performs a significant service he is hounded out.
Whistleblowing
Sounds like the Chief Accountant was blowing the whistle and as usual in whistleblowing cases he then became the problem. Accountants need PIDA protection very much!
The Price of Honesty
The equation honesty = unemployment will do little to encourage other whistle-blowers to come forward. What a damming indictment of the local authority. It is insufficient for the local councillors to cry foul play, they owe it to Mr Parker and the local tax payers to bring those responsible to account.
More to this?
As both a qualified accountant and councillor, as far as I can see Parker was doing his job. Even in self-declared 'member-led' councils (and what council doesn't claim that?), we expect our professional council officers to provide technical steers, and the 'Chief Accountant' (especially, but not only, if he is the section 151 officer) is duty bound to raise such concerns.
From my experience, I suspect this has little to do with any memo. The politics between council officers, especially at the top, can be far more vicious than any of the amateur shenanigans we get up to in the council chamber.