Watchdog's probe into police funds (From The Northern Echo)

Watchdog's probe into police funds

8:00am Friday 10th February 2012 in News By Emily Flanagan, Reporter

Adam Briggs

THE police watchdog has said it is disappointed that a former deputy chief constable did not co-operate with its investigation into financial claims for development training.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) concluded it was “unacceptable” for North Yorkshire Police Authority to give Adam Briggs more than £30,000 without any means for auditing how that money was spent.

The watchdog said the former senior officer had not co-operated with the probe into an “expenses claim that does not appear to withstand scrutiny”.

The investigation was carried out into financial claims for development training made by Adam Briggs while he was deputy chief constable of North Yorkshire Police.

It determined that Mr Briggs had been awarded a contract when he joined the force in the post in June 2007, which, in addition to his salary, included a non-pensionable payment of £10,000 per annum.

This payment was to cover the cost of private medical insurance and personal development training, the IPCC said.

In total, Mr Briggs received £31,647.06 during his time with the force, the watchdog said.

In November 2007, Mr Briggs agreed a 24-month contract for personal development training with a company called Enabling Developments.

He claimed the cost of this contract – £11,750 including VAT – from North Yorkshire Police despite already being in receipt of the £10,000 per annum allowance.

The training came to light through a Freedom of Information request by Janes Police Review magazine in July 2010, and prompted concern within North Yorkshire Police Authority.

The authority brought the matter to the attention of the IPCC, which then instructed that the matter be formally referred.

The IPCC investigation was told the authority had no knowledge of Mr Briggs’ arrangement with the training company and had not sanctioned it.

It found there was no system to audit how Mr Briggs used the allowance allocated to him.

It also said that Mr Briggs had not gone through the correct procurement processes for the contract and failed to seek any authorisation for the training.

Mr Briggs, who retired from North Yorkshire Police shortly before the investigation began, was asked by the IPCC to assist by either attending an interview or providing a statement to explain his decisions. Mr Briggs had not co-operated, the IPCC said.

IPCC commissioner Nicholas Long said: “I find his decision not to assist our investigation or answer our questions disappointing.

“It (the money) may well have been used entirely legitimately, but Mr Briggs, who while holding a senior public office should have been acting in a financially responsible way, which was open, transparent and auditable, has chosen not to tell us."

North Yorkshire Police Authority said it is "disappointed" in the IPCC’s conclusion that its arrangements for the personal development allowance were unacceptable.

It has now stopped offering the allowance.

Chief executive Jeremy Holderness said such allowances were not unusual.

He added: “We agree that in this instance, sadly, the arrangements might not have operated as we would have wished and we have learnt lessons for the future.

“However, in our view, it is disproportionate to say that the arrangements were 'unacceptable'.”