Hadleigh town council has admitted that projects officer and former responsible finance officer (RFO) Alicja Barnes is the accountant awarded the lucrative £800 a month contract to carry out accountancy work after she quit her job.

The agreement to award Ms Barnes the contract through her company 12 Magpies, based in Long Melford, was made during secret conversations between the town clerk Wendy Brame and members of the staffing sub committee after she resigned on January 31.

The reason for Ms Barnes resigning has not yet been made clear.

Alicja Barnes and Wendy Brame (Picture: Nub News)

There is no indication that Mrs Brame as the town clerk and now the RFO, made any attempt to seek other alternative accountants, including those in Hadleigh.

Shock and outrage at controversial contract revelation

In a statement issued on a social media page, which limits who is allowed to comment, and agreed by Cllr Brian Loftus, chair of the staffing sub-committee, and deputy mayor Bill Wilson, who chaired last Thursday meeting when it was agreed Mrs Brame would take over as RFO, and immediately recommended the contract be awarded to 12 Magpies Accountancy.

Three of the staffing sub committee Cllrs Roger Howlett, Sue Monks, and Loftus were at the full council meeting on Tuesday but none spoke up to answer questions about 12 Magpies Accountancy or revealed to fellow councillors that it was owned by Ms Barnes, even when being quizzed by Cllrs Peter Gower and Rolf Beggerow.

Neither mayor Gordon McLeod or Cllr Adrian Taylor, who are on the staffing sub-committee, were at last Thursday's meeting and it is not clear if they were aware of the decision to give Ms Barnes the contract.

Last THursday' meeting (Picture: Sublitted)

Cllr Taylor, who recently resigned as a volunteer at Hadleigh Rugby Club and quit his job in the health sector, has stepped back from council duties due to his mental health disability and along with Cllr McLeod has not attended the last two full council meetings. No reason is known for Cllr McLeod's absence, and despite being mayor was not party to the statement.

Staffing sub-committee meeting are arranged ad hoc, and held in secret, so no minutes are available to the press or public, or even other councillors. Its parent committee Council Matters, to which it is supposed report, has been suspended since 2022.

RTG on council's dodgy decision making...

The recommendation to appoint Ms Barnes so she could carry on her accountancy work for the council through her firm 12 Magpies on £35 an hour, was agreed to be taken to full council on February 15 without giving details to fellow councillors, who have been told it was up to them to ask ahead of the meeting.

During last week's record council meeting Mrs Brame told councillors the recommendation to award the contract to 12 Magpies came from her. while Cllr Howlett, despite being in the staffing sub-committee did not appear to know the background as he said in the meeting: "I struggle to know who 12 Magpies Accountancy is."

Staffing sub-committee member Cllr Howlett said: "I struggle to know who 12 Magpies Accountancy is."

He said he had found a Facebook page, but with no name attached to it. In response, the clerk did not mention the owner and sole trader was her colleague, Alicja Barnes, saying 12 Magpies was "an accountancy firm who I believe are capable of carrying out the finance function in the short term while we look at the situation in the office."

In the statement, the council made reference to a time in 2019 when the previous finance officer resigned and an outside accountancy firm was brought in. However ,Aaron Clarke Accountants were a nd were Hadleigh-based, had no direct connection with the town council, and there was no suggestion of a conflict of interest.

The decision to award a contract Ms Barnes' 12 Magpies Accountancy, has caused outrage among former councillors, and other Hadleigh taxpayers, with allegations of corruption and unethical behaviour by Mrs Brame, and the town council in general.

Cllr Bill Wilson (Picture: submitted)

Controversial contract resignation...

Hadleigh town council statement in full.

The Town Council can confirm that Alicja Barnes, Projects & Finance Officer handed in her notice of resignation on 31st January 2024 with her employment ending on 29th February 2024.

As part of the dialogue regarding staffing and job roles in light of this resignation the Town Clerk informed the Staffing-Sub-committee that the office would not be able to absorb both job roles with the current staff hours. This was particularly pertinent to the finance function as we are approaching year end. It was agreed that an immediate solution was required to carry out the finance function of the Town Council due to statutory deadlines.

It was felt that an ideal solution would be to ask Alicja Barnes to act as a locum to carry out this finance function as she has the corporate knowledge of the Town Council and it provides continuity while the office staffing is reduced.

This suggestion was taken to Full Council for a decision on 15th February 2024 and the majority of Councillors voted to agree this. This arrangement will start on 1st March 2024.

As is usual practice the agenda was sent out ahead of the meeting and all Councillors had the opportunity to ask questions or clarify any information required ahead of the meeting.

This arrangement is identical to that which took place in 2019 when the previous Finance Officer resigned and the finance function needed to be covered. Aaron Clarke Accountants carried out this function for the Town Council until the end of 2020.

Alicja Barnes established her accountancy firm, 12 Magpies Accountancy in April 2023.

Alicja was a qualified book-keeper when she started with Hadleigh Town Council and shortly thereafter qualified as an accountant, the Town Council made an agreed contribution towards this personal development as they do with all staff.

Statement agreed by Deputy Mayor & Chair of Staffing Sub-committee