Former Mayoress is cleared of fraud - what do you think?

Standish Cllr Judith Atherton who was last years mayoress has been investigated for fraud on expenses.It is claimed that she claimed mileage allowance when she did not have insurance.

When you claim mileage allowance as a cllr apparently you have to confirm that you have a car licence and have business insurance on your insurance policy. Normally and usually if you get reported Wigan Council get an external solictors to investigate and then report back. But with such a serious claim Wigan Council has apparently let a junior officer investigate this claim. When they asked Cllr Atherton for her insuarnce documents she said because it was a few years ago I do not have it and as she did not have a car she then explained she was on her parents insurance policy. Then her dad could not get a copy of his policy document again because it was a few years ago and Wigan Council juniot officer who was investigating it took her word for it. Did not ask her to get a copy of the document or a letter to confirm nothing. I do not believe that she had insurance and that is why I still think Fraud has been committed and I have now asked the Director of Public Prosecution to investigate. The DPP is the head of the CPS ( Crown Prosecution Service) and I am pretty sure they will want a copy of the document when they ask her. Then I wonder where that will leave Wigan Council if the DPP finds her guilty (They might not). It will prove that Wigan Council did a bad investigation just so that they could get the right outcome for them as the Council does not want bad press - I bet.

If you want to read the Wigan Evening Post article click on the link.

http://www.wigantoday.net/news/former_mayoress_is_cleared_after_investigation_into_expense_claims_1_3795249