City Hall officials have held initial discussions with the Police over Ian Clement’s expense claims, Members of the London Assembly Business Management and Administration Committee were told this morning.
Martin Clarke, Executive Director for Resources at the Greater London, told members that in light of Clement’s disputed expense claims the Authority has referred the matter to the Met.
It’s understood the police are due to have further meetings with Authority figures in the days ahead before confirming whether there will be a formal investigation.
AMs have been questioning Clarke and Mayoral advisor Sir Simon Milton in the wake of Clement’s departure earlier this week after further discrepancies in Clement’s expenses came to light.
The committee were told that Clement was allowed to resign rather than be sacked as it was “the cleanest” way of him leaving and “cheapest” for the taxpayer. Clement has offered to repay any further disputed claims.
Giving evidence, Milton appeared to suggest Johnson had ordered Clement to hand over his corporate credit card in August when he first discovered he held it. Speaking to MayorWatch after the hearing, Milton clarified that there had been no direct instruction to return the card at that point.
Told that Clement’s most recent expenses were personally signed off my the Mayor, the committee agreed to request that Johnson appear before them at a future date.
Earlier this year responsibility for signing off the expenses of Mayoral advisors was transferred from officers in the finance department to the Mayor’s office. However City Hall is keen to stress that the Mayor only sees the approved claims and was not told that there had been a series of disallowed items.
In a sign that the Administration has recognised the PR disaster caused by reports of successive ‘deputy mayors’ resigning, MayorWatch has been told it is “unlikely” Clement’s successor will hold the deputy mayor title and that no future Mayoral advisor is likely to be given it.
Following today’s meeting Liberal Democrat Assembly leader Mike Tuffrey said “Serious questions remain about why Boris Johnson personally approved these claims, when staff knew there was a history of irregularities. The Mayor now needs to come and explain himself to the Assembly.”
Excellent,
It’s good to see that Brois has stuck to his election pledge and ‘cleansed the mayors office of sleaze and corruption’.
I don’t ever remember the police ever being called in while Ken was in charge – can you? If I remember correctly they weren’t interested in the LDA case as there was so little evidence – and certainly Lee Jasper is a free man as far as I am aware.
Oh I am feeling like saying “I told you so” to all those fools who voted for Boris because they actually believed him. Love or hate Ken, he always did what he said he was going to do (invest in the tube, congestion charge) – a talent which is completely absent from politics – thanks to the bad example set by every Government for the last 30 years.
I also find it laughable that Boris has some expenses questions to answer – sure he was quick to point out Ken’s trips to Venezuala – but judging by some of the receipts from Boris – it seems value for money has deterioated in the mayors office as for the same cost as Ken’s trip to South America – Boris can only make it to Bexlyheath!
You’ve got to love the twists of fate – it’s so fair and just – I always say the truth will flush out the liars in the end and this is a perfect case in point.
However what Boris has once again proved is that you can fool all of the people, some of the time, or some of the people all of the time, but voters – you can pretty much fool ALL of them EVERY time!
The lLeadership under The Right Honourable Mayor for London Boris Johnson is starting to look dangerously Delerious and Deluded and City Hall needs to get a tight grip on the situation before it becomes a complete laughing stock .