Council accused of trying to cover up school fraud

A headteacher at the North PRU (Pupil Referral Unit) in Newtown has been accused of misusing taxpayers' money for personal gain.

According to Nation.Cymru, Powys County Council has faced criticism for allegedly attempting to cover up the irregular purchases made by the headteacher, who was converting a barn into Airbnb accommodation.

The scandal came to light after a whistleblower reported the fraudulent use of a council credit card at the PRU.

Initially, the council's head of legal services dismissed the allegations, claiming there was no evidence of any irregularities. It was only after the whistleblower contacted Audit Wales that action was finally taken.

The whistleblower, who was present during the incident, witnessed another senior council official instructing an administrative worker to delete the school's Amazon account, effectively erasing evidence of unauthorized purchases.

However, another administrator had already copied the transaction details, keeping the information retrievable. In an email to a council official, the whistleblower raised concerns about the headteacher's purchases, stating that tools such as spades, shovels, and pickaxes were bought during the summer of 2021 for the PRU unit, despite never being seen or used there.

The email also mentioned other suspicious purchases, including driveway fabric, humidifiers, decking varnish, and post hole diggers, items that were not necessary or relevant to the PRU. The council's subsequent investigation into the matter failed to find any supporting evidence of wrongdoing. However, the whistleblower, unsatisfied with the outcome, reached out to Audit Wales for further assistance.

In January 2023, the whistleblower informed the council's head of legal services about additional sightings of unfamiliar items in the PRU shed, raising further doubts about the headteacher's actions.

Finally, on June 30, 2023, the whistleblower received confirmation that a disciplinary investigation had taken place, resulting in the headteacher, Nick Ratcliffe, leaving his position at the council. The long duration of the investigation was acknowledged, and apologies were offered for the delay.

Cllr Elwyn Vaughan, leader of the council's Plaid Cymru group, voiced his concerns over the handling of the matter, stating that it was another example of the council's "cover-up culture."

Vaughan urged the council to address these issues promptly and make necessary changes to prevent future similar incidents.

Cllr Vaughan also reached out to Cllr Pete Roberts, the council's cabinet member for a learning, seeking clarification on the circumstances surrounding Ratcliffe's departure, the total value of the purchases made, and whether the matter had been reported to the police.