The mutter in Waverley’s gutter is growing faster than the daffodils. And all is not sweetness and light at ‘Waverley and Guildford Towers.’
Waverley and Guildford councils hit the crisis button this week after an internal investigation into a £18.5 million Guildford overspend resulted in an officer leadership crisis.
A housing maintenance contractor used by Guildford Borough Council is under investigation by the police after irregularities in the authority’s housing revenue account were flagged up last July.
Surrey Police has confirmed it has now escalated its fraud investigation to a regional organised crime unit, with the police probe running alongside the council’s housing maintenance review.
Last week, Tom Horwood Waverley & Guildford’s Joint Chief Executive left the organisation. Then in comes Annie, out goes Annie, and in comes Pedro on his Parachute.
It was agreed that Annie Righton would take over as the interim CEO for both councils until Pedro Wrobel arrived from Westminster City Council in April. See our post here. New Interim Chief Executive appointed for Waverley & Guildford.
They say a week is a long time in politics; didn’t things move fast at Waverley and Guildford?
No sooner had Annie’s knees tucked under the desk and her plump salary increased than off she goes on gardening leave! Another strategic Director, Ian Doyle, accompanied her to the garden. WW understands, all due to that police investigation about a Guildford Housing Contract that has gone horribly wrong. A council spokesperson said they (Righton & Dotle) were responsible for the relevant service area when the suspect contracts were let.
Oh dear! These are the headlines both councils now face.
Fraud probe into Guildford Council finds ‘serious areas of concern’
Is that the sound of running feet we hear as Cllr Paul Follows and Cllr Julia McShane race over to Westminster City Council to beg them to give early release to Pedro? So far, Leader Follows has remained tight-lipped.
It was obviously imperative to get Poor Pedro into the hot seat. Was it a case of…
Our need is greater than yours Westminster? Neither Waverley or Guildford authorities has a Chief Executive, and we now have a shedload of chief officers pruning the roses.
No wonder Poor old Pedro looked a little shell-shocked when up he rocked up at Waverley’s Full Council!
Is he wondering why he ditched his plump Westminster salary to grab the poisoned chalice of heading up Waverley and Guildford? Or will the stuff of Guildford’s life be a challenge he will relish getting his hands on? Only time will tell.
‘Your Waverley’ Welcomes its new Chief Executive.
However, This latest saga in the collaboration of Guildford & Waverley begs the question?
Waverley and Guildford ratepayers must ask: How much is all this costing both councils’ taxpayers?
The borough councils, which have shared senior leaders and back-office staff since 2021, have jointly appointed a law firm to escalate their own probe into the issue.
Your report is misleading. There is no fraud probe into Waverley council. This investigation concerns only Guildford.
We apologise. That is what comes from taking another headline from a local newspaper. Though we had made it clear in all references in the rest of the post. We have rectified.
As is so often pointed out when debated, Guildford and Waverley remain completely separate sovereign councils.
So I must ask why Paul Follows the Leader at Waverley is getting involved by making joint statements with Guildford on this matter. Whilst they have joint senior management as part of the collaboration, as was stated at Waverley’s council this week, the Housing & Maintenance accounts are run completely separately.
Cllr Follows would be advised to let Guildford sort out their own mess and keep well away, so that nothing sticks to him during the forthcoming election battle royal with Jeremy Hunt.
It’s important that Waverley does distance itself from Guildford BC ‘s awful problems. Little did Paul Follows know, presumably, about Guildford’s problems when he agreed to Waverley sharing a CEO and officers with Guildford.
Why on earth would Waverley jump into bed with Guildford when their finances are in dire straights? Oh wait- yes us loyal taxpayers will be footing the bill
That’s about the size of it.
This will not end well for anyone.The
word fiasco doesn’t cover this. Step back for a moment whatever your political views. This is beyond anything that’s come before.This is terminal for Waverley because aligning itself with anybody, even if they were squeaky clean, wouldn’t stop the rot. My reasoning is as stated many times before. Farnham as a Parliamentary seat being merged with Bordon in Hampshire. Whichever way you try it’s a severing of a portion of a borough. A borough that was reeling with self imposed and external woes. Aligning with anyone in this climate is risky. And let us be clear people that knew people that knew people had a clear idea which way the Guildford situation was going long before the rescue mission commenced. It was a case of the only show in town. That fact I suspect is not lost by one Secretary of State for Levelling Up. I have a feeling in my waters that he won’t be playing nicely any day soon.
Chaos is close at hand.
MeaninglessMud
Oh Dear – a bit messy?????
Run WBC Run!!!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-68336485