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Baby P chief's day at Ascot was paid for by builder she backed for £28m contract
Tim Ross, Education Correspondent10 Dec 2008
THE sacked council chief at the centre of the Baby P scandal accepted hospitality from a construction firm she had earlier recommended for a £28 million contract.
Sharon Shoesmith, Haringey's former children's services director, enjoyed a day at Ascot races as a guest of Willmott Dixon only weeks after abuse victim Baby P died.
The firm won the contract to build Haringey's sixth-form centre on Ms Shoesmith's recommendation.
Willmott Dixon is also potentially in line for a further share of the £200 million being spent on rebuilding the borough's schools, thanks to Ms Shoesmith.
Earlier this year, the company was criticised by the Office of Fair Trading following an investigation into alleged bid rigging by construction firms.
The details emerged after Ms Shoesmith was sacked with no pay-off in the wake of the Baby P scandal.
The 17-month-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found dead in his cot last year. He had suffered months of abuse — including a broken back — at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend and their lodger.
An inquiry by government inspectors identified a series of failings by child protection agencies in Haringey Ms Shoesmith was removed from her post by Children's Secretary Ed Balls and eventually sacked.
After the Baby P abuse trial concluded, she refused to apologise and insisted social workers had done everything necessary to protect the child.
Ms Shoesmith was widely condemned for visiting Ascot races with her daughter in October last year, two months after Baby P died, as a guest of Willmott Dixon.
Documents seen by the Standard show Ms Shoesmith authorised a report to councillors in October 2005 recommending the firm for the contract to build the sixth-form centre.
The White Hart Lane centre was built with funding from Gordon Brown's £45 billion Building Schools for the Future programme.
It includes specialist science laboratories, dance and drama studios, a 200-seat theatre and sports facilities. A spokesman for Willmott Dixon said the hospitality trip to Ascot was an annual company event attended by about 600 guests.
“We invite them along, it's convivial and that's it,” he said. “It is not about trying for business advantage. These sorts of contracts are very rigorously audited.”
Ms Shoesmith was thought to have attended at the invitation of Willmott Dixon managers she met through the sixth-form centre project. She did not attend in previous years.
The Willmott Dixon spokesman said the firm was not involved in other Haringey school construction projects. But Ms Shoesmith recommended that it was placed on a shortlist of prospective contractors for future school buildings projects.
Last April the company said it was “disappointed” to have been mentioned in the OFT investigation into suspected bid rigging by more than 100 construction firms.
“The allegations against Willmott Dixon Construction concern six unsuccessful tenders with a combined value of under £30 million. There is no suggestion that any benefit accrued to the company in relation to any of these unsuccessful tenders. Willmott Dixon has not and never would condone any unethical action or activity in contravention of competition law.”
A spokesman for Haringey council said Ms Shoesmith formally declared her trip to Ascot but the register of hospitality is not publicly available.
Reader views (8)
i have heard various stories from builders, who have had to grease the palms of council building surveyors,although money does not change hands, it usually consists these days of doing work on their properties to giving top of the range laptops.
- David, London, 10/12/2008 16:19
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Guys we are losing focus here! The main issue is that Shoesmith's department did NOT prevent the unnecessary and avoidable death of a child. Council contracts are a totally different issue. Competitive tendering was meant to bring down costs. However, it now seems that once a company have their feet under the table they are secure for years to come and can rip taxpayers off for rubbish collection, road repairs, etc.
- Michael, London, 10/12/2008 13:05
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By accepting the hospitality of this Council Contractor Ms Shoesmith has broken a golden rule in public sector responsibility.
My father, a retired Council Officer who reccomended tender awards to Councillors, would not accept even a bottle of wine at Christmas - as a matter of principle and to avoid claims of a 'conflict of interest'.
How things seem to have changed and dear old Ms Shoesmith and her like are clearly leading the way.
- Mark, Bournemouth England, 10/12/2008 12:26
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Frank it is not a laughing matter when people placed in a good job steal yes I said steal, when getting back handers. I DONT LAUGH IT,S MONEY BELONGING TO TAX PAYERS.
- Ebin Donk, yo1 6ds, 10/12/2008 12:00
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When will politicians realise they are "pulbic" servants. They are meant to champion to rights and benefits of the common good, not just their own advancement. It's disgusting that public sector employees of all levels have low to no sense of civic duty.
- Muri, London, 10/12/2008 11:55
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Generally, I'm sure eveyone has ever noticed how local authority/government projects always costs massive sums.
In my job I sometimes come across prople who have queries about costs related to major works on their homes. I know if I was personally having the work carried out on my home I would have it done to a reasonable standard at to a budget that I could afford.
Whenever the Council have work carried out, on property they manage, the costs are incredible and I genuinely feel sorry for the people who are expected to find thousand of pounds for work that could be done for a fraction of the cost.
Clearly the tendering process has something to do with it and where thousands/millions of pounds are at stake brown bags are handed over.
I recall when my parents were provided with a local authority grant towards some extension works, due to the age and type of house they were eligible, the builder was recommended by the council employee in charge of the scheme. The builder was unreliable, even before the work started. My parents called the Council chap to tell him they wished to use an alternative builder, within hours of that call, miraculously, the builder came running. Clearly everybody had an interest in using these builders!
- Simon, London, 10/12/2008 11:27
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Do the ruling classes really believe the public is completely unaware of how big business actually works?
Why aren't civil servants that may be able to influence decisions regarding the allocation of contracts, forbidden from attending any such corporate hospitality events?
If I held a competition with the first prize of a car, which my wife won - I'd end up in the local Police Station.
When are government going to open their eyes and realise that we, the Public, are SICK AND TIRED of these self serving, inept loafers? The Sharon Shoesmiths of this once great country need to wake up and realise that with their generous salary comes a level of responsibility - she should should have had her borough's childrens best interests at heart - not her own.
- Jim, London, 10/12/2008 11:03
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These preachy corrupt rich socialists make me laugh.
Labour; Love 'em or loath 'em, always good for a laugh at their principles.
- Frank, Home Counties, England, 10/12/2008 10:25
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