Police are in discussions with Dorset Council following the dismissal of eleven interim staff involved in health and safety works across council-owned buildings, after concerns over possible fraud and financial mismanagement.
Dorset Council confirmed on Monday that an external audit found evidence of overcharging and breaches of financial rules within the department overseeing the work. The issues came to light after the new Liberal Democrat administration requested a review soon after taking office in May 2024.
The interim staff had been brought in through a framework agreement to help ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, including fire safety and Radon checks, for buildings inherited from former councils when the unitary authority was created in 2019.
Deputy Council Leader Richard Biggs told Dorchester town councillors that senior officers had been interviewed as part of the investigation and some had initially ‘obfuscated’ when questioned. He said that while most of the physical work appeared to be up to standard, the project budget had grown from £4 million to £13 million, raising concerns over value for money.
It was revealed that the group of staff had bypassed financial controls, setting up their own code to authorise spending and avoiding required Cabinet approval for major items.
Councillor Biggs said some Radon tests were carried out in areas where the gas would not be expected and confirmed that police were investigating. He added that “prosecutions are quite likely.”
Dorchester Mayor Andy Canning, also a Dorset councillor, said the investigation was expected to continue and that it had been “an ongoing problem for years.”