18 January 2012

The Salt Quiz - which might leave a bitter after taste

Most people love a quiz so here is a short one to brighten up your Wednesday

Q1. What percentage of the world's salt output is produced in the UK?

A. 2%
B. 4%
C. 6%
D. 8%






Q2. What is the optimum daily salt intake ?

A. 3g
B. 5g
C. 8g
D. 10g





Lot and his daughters

Q3. 8% of salt production is used in?
A. Water conditioning
B. Road maintenance
C. Agriculture
D. Food








Q4. Which is the biggest source of salt?

A. Salt plains
B. Underground
C. Meteors
D. Seas & oceans






Richard & Brian in front of an unconstitutional salt mountain.
Q5. How many tonnes of salt did Barnet Council buy without a proper contract in 2011?

A. nil
B. £100,000+ worth
C. 2,000+ tonnes
D. all of them


And here are the answers

Q1. B
Q2. B
Q3. B
Q4. D
Q5. B, C & D ( sorry, trick question but you had a 75% chance of being correct )

Here is the proof.

1474 - Salt Union ESPO

So it is Pam Wharfe, the interim ( for now ) Director of Environment lack of Planning & Regeneration whose signature has to go on this document which evidences that salt has been purchased without a proper competition having taken place which is a breach of EU procurement rules but you would think that an on the ball Commercial Director (Craig Cooper) might have noticed. They both earn £132,480 so which of them has any idea who is buying what and at what price is a mystery that Mr Mustard cannot solve. Someone has been signing  purchase orders for this salt when a contract wasn't in place.

Shouldn't this blunder go in front of a scrutiny committee for an explanation of how it came to pass, how many more examples there are like this and what has been done to stop any recurrence?

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard

2 comments:

  1. Although I really shouldn't be by now, living in Barnet as I do, I'm continually stunned at the scope of these discrepancies. Is there not somewhere that these continual breaches of the rules can be held to account? Never mind the Barnet Standards Committee, this needs to go before a much higher authority!

    ReplyDelete
  2. er, ermm. Dear oh dear, oh dear. Still, I for one am happy to let Ms Pam Wharfe buy loads and loads of salt if it keeps her beloved Cabinet Member from slipping over in his Priority One side road. He is too precious to risk any damage before the May elections: Labour's greatest asset. Perhaps Ms Wharfe could find a unique supplier of cotton wool to wrap him up in as well?

    ReplyDelete

I now moderate comments in the light of the Delfi case. Due to the current high incidence of spam I have had to turn word verification on.