Allegations of Mismanagement

South West One

Somerset County Council signed an unusual deal with international IT giants IBM last autumn. It was to outsource certain back-office functions of the council like payroll, HR, property, benefits payments, etc, to give a better service at lower cost. It also involved Taunton Deane Borough Council and now the Avon & Somerset Constabulary have joined.

But Conservative members of the Council have been critical of the deal because all the details have been kept under wraps.

Conservative Group Leader, Ken Maddock said at the time: “We are concerned that we do not know what it is that the Council is signing up to. Regrettably the whole negotiations have been shrouded in secrecy with the details hidden from most Councillors. We respect the substantial business experience which IBM have behind them. We just wish that we knew exactly what it is that they bring to the table.”

Now the matter has been raised in Parliament. Local MP for Bridgwater, Ian Liddell-Grainger, has initiated an adjournment debate in the House of Commons in which he alleges corruption and mismanagement in the whole deal.

Somerset Conservative Leader Ken Maddock said: “These are very serious accusations and they need to be answered. Somerset Council Tax payers deserve a full and proper response.”