When going through the council’s spend documents, it’s very difficult to not raise an eyebrow at some of the purposes the expenses are classified under. This post will be focusing on one of the purposes regarding Bed & Breakfast. Some questions need asking regarding these expenses.
- Why is the purpose named Bed & Breakfast? Hopefully the Harlow taxpayer is not paying for bed and breakfast. If we are, why?
- Why is thge total for temporary accomodation so high? Who are we temporarily housing? There will of course be genuine incidents where this is needed, but £5 million in just over 3 years?
- Why are there one off payments to Stansted Airport Lodge, Holiday Inn Express and Bank of Scotland? Why is the Bank of Scotland appearing under Bed and Breakfast?
- Was a proper tendering process followed when these locations were chosen?
- Why are we spending almost £1 million for administrative services?
- Bed & Breakfast & Other Expenses (£6049991)
This is then broken down further into Merchant Categories:
- Temporary Accomodation (£5118015)
- Management and Administrative Services (£931377)
- Financial Services (£599)
Broken down into the companies that are receiving this money:
- Future Let Property Management (£859804.67)
- Temporary Accomodation (859804.67)
- Caridon Management (£19926.27)
- Temorary Accomodation (£19926.27)
- The Harlow Hotel by AccorHotels (£21662.44)
- Temporary Accomodation (£21662.44)
- Nickolds HMO Management & Maintenance LTD (£931377)
- Management and Administrative Services (£931377)
- The Rent Guarantee Company LTD (£4117992)
- Temporary Accomodation (£4117992)
- Oasis Hotel (£84063.75)
- Temporary Accomodation (£84063.75)
- Skyline Hotel (£11836.50)
- Temporary Accomodation (£11836.50)
- Holiday Inn Express (£750.83)
- Temporary Accomodation (£750.83)
- Stansted Airport Lodge Limited (£1979.17)
- Temporary Acomodation (£1979.17)
- Royal Bank of Scotland (£599)
- Financial Services (£599)