Monthly Archives: September 2013

The Fraudulent Lifestyle Our recent commentary on “who is checking the buyer’s lifestyle” has, it seems touched some raw nerves. One of our respondents has asked “how do you check a lifestyle?” it is a very perceptive question. Of course, there are a whole variety of investigative techniques and we do not believe it is […]

Crown Prosecution Service – Taxi Fraud It was widely reported in last week’s press that two Crown Prosecution Service workers were each jailed for six years, for swindling £1million from the taxpayers in fake taxi receipts. It was reported that the fraud was uncovered after an annual audit, and, that two previous audits had not uncovered the […]

Who Audits the Auditors? We have been reading a “Contract Award Manual”. The content relating to procurement begs the question regarding auditor’s competencies to, on an informed basis, audit the specifics of a deal. There is a section on “Negotiation” It states: The auditors review of purchasing procedures should determine whether: a)      Buyers are required […]

Over the last week or so we have published extracts of clauses from an IT System Provider’s Terms and Conditions ( the Fine Print). We have done this to raise awareness of their implications to your business and to stimulate debate. The extracts in question are replicated below: “Where Hardware is to be supplied XXX shall supply […]

Reading the Fine Print 2 The second instalment of an IT System Provider’s  terms and Conditions extract for your review. Have you seen similar clauses? Extract 2 “Where installation is to be provided XXX shall carry out the Works and shall make all reasonable endeavours to comply with the Anticipated Completion Date but such date […]

Reading the Fine Print We have been reading a proposal from a company selling IT Systems.  There were some interesting clauses in the fine print. Over the next few days we will offer extracts, suitably anonymised,  for your contemplation. Many companies sign up to such terms without question. Would you accept these at face value? […]

It has been reported that the BBC have paid ‘headhunters’ Egon Zehnder, fees of almost £400,000 plus VAT to fill 3 senior BBC vacancies since 2010. These positions were the digital media director, head of vision and the Director General. The process twice produced internal candidates, one of which was George Entwistle. Egon Zehnder, it […]