Monday 11 November 2013

A genius at work

Carmarthenshire County Council has engaged the services of Mr Timothy Kerr QC to help it with those uppity people at the Wales Audit Office in the matter of the allegedly unlawful payment of employer pension contributions to the council's chief executive.

As Caebrwyn has discovered, Carmarthenshire engaged the services of Mr Kerr before going on to introduce him to Pembrokeshire, and the two councils are now sharing the bills. When Pembrokeshire councillors asked how much this was costing, they were told that this was an ongoing engagement, and the legal taxi meter seems set to go on running for some considerable time.

Mr Kerr specialises in the law as it applies to local government, education, health and social care, as well as sports. His clients are made up of "public bodies, particularly local authorities, employers, schools, colleges, universities, national and multi-national corporations, sports governing bodies, players and athletes", and according to his profile on his chamber's website (here), they love him.

Strong stuff for the middle-aged executives in suits who must make up the bulk of his clientele, and his profile continues with a quote that, "although he is a genius, he is very human with it".

It is probably safe to assume that Mr Kerr's services do not come cheap, and that the clients who shower him with their love and affection have very deep pockets, or rather access to the public purse in many cases.

Mr Kerr's profile goes on to note that one of his specialities is advising and representing local authority pension funds. He has also helped councils deal with judicial reviews brought against them by people worried about care home closures and breaches of equalities legislation.

No wonder they love him.

Meanwhile, a second legal taxi meter is clocking up the ££££s in the matter of the chief executive's libel indemnity.

7 comments:

Jac o' the North, said...

I ask again: How much longer can the 'Welsh' Government stand aside, watching democracy subverted and public money mis-spent.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Jac o'the North.

I also want to know why SOLACE is not footing the bill?

Anonymous said...

Yes people have many times asked that question but until there is some kind of protest AMs will continue ignoring the very people who put them there.

Anonymous said...

I cannot believe how quiet Unison are about all this!

Anonymous said...

IT ALSO MENTIONS ON HIS CHAMBERS PROFILE THAT HE HAS DONE SOME WORK IN RELATION TO ANTI CORRUPTION !!

Anonymous said...

Annonymous 16:52
Prosecuting or defending?

Anonymous said...

Unison / Unite / G.M.B. are all about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. No comments from any of their officials over this debacle.