Monday 24 January 2011

Openness? Transparency? Not in Bradford, we're a Labour Council

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Bradford's increasingly ridiculous Council Leader has proclaimed that we won't be - as many Councils have already done - put details of spending on-line "to protect business".

Coun Greenwood said Bradford Council would, for the time being, ignore the order from the Communities Secretary to publish details of every bill for expenditure of £500 or more. He told the district’s business professionals that the delay in publishing the details of invoices was to allow time for them all to be purged of any commercially-sensitive information.

He told the Bradford Professional Network the purging operation was intended to avoid giving firms outside the district information that could enable them to undercut suppliers to the Council.

I am aghast- not just at the temerity of not letting the public know how its Council is spending their cash but the reason. Seems decidedly anti-competitive!

Maybe Cllr Greenwood has something to hide?

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1 comment:

SadButMadLad said...

"...was intended to avoid giving firms outside the district information that could enable them to undercut suppliers to the Council. "

That's the whole point of tendering and all the other shenanigans that suppliers have to go through to get council contacts - to provide the cheapest service. If a company can undercut an existing supplier then it would generally be better for the taxpayer.

So he is basically saying that it's a whole load of bollocks and just a sham and that the real business is to give it to cronies in the local area.

The statement is bordering on illegality.