A morning in court No 1
Today Mr Ian Clement former leader of Bexley Conservative Council and former deputy Mayor of London stood in court and faced five charges of fraud relating to allegations regarding his use of a corporate credit card. He declined to enter pleas to the charges at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court and the case was adjourned until 6 October.
Mr Clement resigned his post of deputy mayor after his corporate credit card was confiscated when it was revealed the he had been using it for personal expenditure on items such as groceries and meals. The GLA spotted the mis use of the credit card as they have checks and procedures in place to do so.
It is a great concern to me as a Bexley resident that he had a similar pattern of expense claims whilst leading Bexley Council which went unchallenged. Bexley appeared to have no process in place to make sure that corporate credit cards are used for appropriate reasons and there are serious questions to be asked of the former Chief Executive and Finance Director as to why there was no due diligence in authorising that use of public money. In my opinion if they knew and did nothing to challenge the expenditure they are complicit and if they did not know then one might say they were incompetent.
On a personal note ( I know this wont be popular) I did feel sorry for Mr Clement today. He cut a lonely figure with only his legal team for company. If one of my friends found them self in his position I would hope that although I would nt condone, in any way, the actions that had resulted in such serious charges I would not turn my back on a friend in a time of need they way his ex colleagues seem to have done.
