Failure to comply with a council's fraud and irregularities policies

Dear Audit Commission,

I have been trying for over two years to raise the issue of a
capital project which is costing millions of pounds more than it
should. All requests for explanations have been refused and all
council meeting questions on the subject have been illegally banned
by the Chief Executive of Stockport Council, John Schulz,
Councillor Goddard, the Leader, Councillor Derbyshire, the Deputy
Leader and Mark Weldon, Executive Councillor for Children and Young
People's Directorate.

The Council's own Fraud and Financial Irregularities policies lay
down strict guidelines regarding the action a Council must take
when these issues have been raised. I have also tried without
success to raise with the Director of Finance, Steve Houston, an
apparent miscalculation in a report regarding this issue submitted
to the Executive Committee of over a quarter of a million pounds.
There is simply stonewalling silence from everyone for some reason.

My Freedom of Information request is to know what punishments and
or sanctions exist to be used against senior council officers and
councillors who ignore the Council's own Fraud and Irregularities
policies, should a loss to the taxpayer/council taxpayer of several
millions of pounds be caused by their actions?

Yours faithfully,

Sheila Oliver

Dear Audit Commission,

Many thanks for your response. I shall contact Mr. Watkinson as you
suggest.

Yours faithfully,

Sheila Oliver