I know Wembley Matters readers like to make up their own minds so here is some correspondence from earlier today:
To Carolyn Downs, Brent Chief Executive and
Miuhammed Butt , Leader of Brent Council
As you will know, after the controversy
regarding the payment of Christine Gilbert and Cara Davani through private
companies, Brent Council moved to putting all staff on payroll.
Can you confirm that, nevertheless, Cate
Duffy, Interim Operational Director for Early Years Help and Education, is being
paid through her own company Edu Cate D Limited, which was set up in June 2015
when her employment at Brent Council commenced.
Many thanks,
Martin Francis
From Carolyn Downs
Dear Mr Francis
Ms Duffy is employed as a contractor as she
is on a fixed term contract. The role which she covers is currently subject to
external recruitment and we hope to appoint in the next month. The contract
with Ms Duffy will subsequently be terminated.
Yours sincerely
Carolyn Downs
Brent Council
If Brent "employed" Ms Duffy in June 2015, then Cara Davani would still have been Director of HR at the time, with Christine Gilbert still interim Chief Executive.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember that Brent councillors were told, by Ms Davani some time around 2013/14 (so after she had benefited from being paid through her private company up to March 2013), that Brent would no longer engage Officers as contractors, rather than employees, as this breached guidance over possible tax avoidance (which Ms Davani had engaged in herself! I have the evidence to back up this statement).
Hopefully there will be no further use of self-employed contractors, rather than employees, at Brent Council on Ms Downs's watch.
Philip.