We’ve gone through the Spend Over £500 documents from the council’s website. A significant amount of money has been spent in the Food & Drink merchant category. We have the documents for roughly the last three years. Of course most of these will be legitimate purchases, the point though is this; should the council be in the business of providing food and drinks as a retailer? We say no, leave that to the entrepreneurs (just not councillors who pose as such). We’ve broken this down by supplier and added some commentary where needed. At a later date we will dig even deeper into each of these companies and how and why they were chosen as suppliers.
Some really interesting highlights from the below data:
- Harlow Council has spent £2200 on pre-mixed cocktails
- Harlow Council has spent £10k on ice-cream
- Harlow Council has spent £5000 on frozen drinks
- Harlow council has spent £35k on water and water dispensers
- Harlow Council has made numerous payments to private companies that have not benefitted the taxpayer.
- Harlow must have the highest per capita number of vending machines, if not in the world, at least the UK the council having spent almost £270k of taxpayer’s money
Purpose: Bar & Vending Costs
Total: £157181
Apetito provides meals on wheels, children’s dinner etc. We can’t be too critical of this contract.
Purpose: Lunch Services Expenses
Total: £46467.05
Purpose: Provisions including vending machines
Total: £1066.51
Purpose: Lunch Services Expenses
Total: £12778.72
Purpose: Provisions including vending machines
Total: £10529.11
Purpose: Bar & Vending Costs
Total: £9170.52
Purpose: Bar & Vending Costs
Total: £2504.79
Purpose: Lunch Services Expenses
Total: £1782.45
Purpose: Provisions Including Vending Machines
Total: £6232.89
Looking at the cost codes (Purpose) of these suppliers you wouldn’t really give it a second glance. However if you’re doing your due dilligence and getting the URL for their website, you discover that this company is a water dispenser rental company. Yes, that’s right, Harlow Council has spent almost £20k of our hard-earned money on water for their staff. What’s wrong with tap water? Why can’t the staff bring their own bottled water in?
Purpose: Equipment, Materials and Maintenance incl lighting
Total: £10880.82
Purpose: Rental and leasing costs of Vending Machines
Total: £7538.16
Purpose: Bar & Vnding Costs
Total: £15058.27
The less said about this the better we think. £10k for ice cream. That’s the headline.
Purpose: Ice Cream Purchases
Total: £10433.48
Frozen drinks to go with the ice-cream. Does anyone remember summer being that warm?
Purpose: Bar and Vending Costs
Total: £4969.68
Purpose: Refreshments at meetings
Total: £2854.52
Why is the Harlow taxpayer funding development work at a private company?
Purpose: Lunch Services Expenses
Total: £676.50
Purpose: Development work
Total: £1365
Purpose: Bar & Vending Costs
Total: £714
Kavanagh Catering (No website found)
Why would you be paying a catering company £595 for car park maintenance? You wouldn’t unless:
- It’s a data entry error
- The taxpayer has paid for the maintenance of a private company’s car park
- Neither of the above, the £600 has been entered fraudulently to hide theft
Purpose: Hospitality
Total: £2275
Purpose: Bar & Vending Costs
Total: £8546.25
Purpose: Car Park Maintenance
Total: £595
Purpose: Hospitality
Total: £1040
Purpose: Bar & Vending Costs
Total: £1778.20
Purpose: Bar & Vending Costs
Total: £17163.02
Purpose: Bar & Vending Costs
Total: £2217.60
Purpose: Bar & Vending Costs
Total: £10803.50
This is another water dispensing company.
Purpose: Equipment Materials and Maintenance
Total: £11012.72