Douglas Council to investigate 'corruption' allegations

[Amadeus]

19 minutes ago, FANDL said:

No that wouldn’t have happened. Don’t share anything with anyone. It’s either published openly or it isn’t. 

haha

[TheTeapot]

8 hours ago, FANDL said:

No that wouldn’t have happened. Don’t share anything with anyone. It’s either published openly or it isn’t. 

I'll put it down to one of those man in the pub stories for now then.

[FANDL]

16 minutes ago, TheTeapot said:

I'll put it down to one of those man in the pub stories for now then.

Drop a DM if it concerns you that much. Happy to answer.

[WTF]

9 hours ago, Amadeus said:

haha

is this more of that childish stuff you were whining about ??

[FANDL]

On 1/10/2023 at 7:51 AM, WTF said:

is this more of that childish stuff you were whining about ??

It would be more informative to understand how the allegations are being dealt with. Still no announcements.

[Banker]

29 minutes ago, FANDL said:

It would be more informative to understand how the allegations are being dealt with. Still no announcements.

Why don’t you ring your councilor & ask them?

[Amadeus]

As you can imagine, the topic did come up in Council yesterday as all of us wanted to know more. The following was just sent to all of us and it basically means we know as much as you and the media about it. 
 

 

[FANDL]

6 minutes ago, Amadeus said:

 it basically means we know as much as you and the media about it. 
 

Does that make you feel uncomfortable as a Cllr? Any employer publicly named like that would have launched a full in investigation by now with a view to notifying the police and had a media brief prepared to manage public interest.

[Gladys]

8 minutes ago, FANDL said:

Does that make you feel uncomfortable as a Cllr? Any employer publicly named like that would have launched a full in investigation by now with a view to notifying the police and had a media brief prepared to manage public interest.

But they say they are investigating. 

[piebaps]

For Christ's sake give it a fecking rest. This DBC obsession is ruining the forum.

You don't know what their internal processes are and they are highly likely to actually be doing just as you suggest.

While there clearly is public interest - its mainly from some nasty aggressive people who have a bee in their bonnets about bins. The fact that an investigation is underway is all that can be said in the short space of time that elapsed since the allegations were made public.

[Ringy Rose]

10 minutes ago, FANDL said:

Any employer publicly named like that would have launched a full in investigation by now with a view to notifying the police and had a media brief prepared to manage public interest

Give over. They say that they have launched an investigation in line with their policy.

Private employers would do nothing different and would also make no further comment.

Edited January 11, 2023 by Ringy Rose

[Roger Mexico]

34 minutes ago, Ringy Rose said:

Give over. They say that they have launched an investigation in line with their policy.

Private employers would do nothing different and would also make no further comment.

The problem is that Jason Scales alleged that "Several months ago, I reported these shenanigans directly to a councillor" and they in turn had raised it with officials and been assured that the matter had been dealt with and "the characters involved were departing".  But he claims they haven't.

So it's alleged there had already been an internal investigation, which found evidence (or people wouldn't have been asked to go).  Obviously if either the (unknown) councillor or the officials who are alleged to have been involved in this, dispute this account, they are entitled to say so, directly or through the Council.  But as it currently looks, another internal investigation might not be seen as convincing.

Even if this was a new allegation, it was made a week before yesterday's Council Meeting as was the reply quoted, and you might expect the officers to be able to say a little more, if guardedly. Such a serious allegation should be a high priority, even if it turns out to be entirely groundless.

It would be interesting to know if they have contacted Mr Scales for his evidence for example as you would have assumed that would be the first action to be taken in a serious investigation.

While a private employer might not handle things differently, there are two major differences.  Firstly a public body is responsible to the public and so has different standards of openness etc to a company that is responsible to its shareholders or directors.  Secondly the powers that are alleged to have been abused are those only available to a public body.

[Mysteron]

2 hours ago, Roger Mexico said:

It would be interesting to know if they have contacted Mr Scales for his evidence for example as you would have assumed that would be the first action to be taken in a serious investigation.

 

A more pertinent question might be why didn't Mr Scales inform the police, if he is sitting on such a powder keg of allegations?  

[Roger Mexico]

16 minutes ago, Mysteron said:

A more pertinent question might be why didn't Mr Scales inform the police, if he is sitting on such a powder keg of allegations?  

A good question, though it's possible in his current situation he doesn't entirely trust the police or other state institutions.  But it could also be that the behaviour he far as he has described isn't technically illegal, though it could easily prove to be illegal if for example there was payment in return for the alleged favours.  The other instance of misbehaviour he alleged may be in the same situation, though both would clearly be examples of employees breaching their contract.

[FANDL]

On 1/11/2023 at 2:57 PM, Roger Mexico said:

While a private employer might not handle things differently, there are two major differences.  Firstly a public body is responsible to the public and so has different standards of openness etc to a company that is responsible to its shareholders or directors.  Secondly the powers that are alleged to have been abused are those only available to a public body.

Well observed.