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Baby P official accepts firm's Ascot hospitality
The sacked council chief at the centre of the Baby P scandal accepted hospitality from a construction firm she had earlier recommended for a £28-million (Dh188 million) contract.
- Evening Standard
- Published: 23:39 December 10, 2008
London: The sacked council chief at the centre of the Baby P scandal accepted hospitality from a construction firm she had earlier recommended for a £28-million (Dh188 million) contract.
Sharon Shoesmith, Haringey's former children's services director, enjoyed a day at Ascot races as a guest of Willmott Dixon only weeks after abuse victim Baby P died. The firm won the contract to build Haringey's sixth form centre on Shoesmith's recommendation.
Willmott Dixon is also potentially in line for a further share of the £200 million being spent on rebuilding the borough's schools, thanks to Shoesmith.
Earlier this year, the company was criticised by the Office of Fair Trading following an investigation into alleged bid rigging by construction firms.
The details emerged after Shoesmith was sacked with no pay-off in the wake of the Baby P scandal.
The 17-month-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found dead in his cot last year. He had suffered months of abuse - including a broken back - at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend and their lodger. An inquiry by government inspectors identified a series of failings by child protection agencies in Haringey. Shoesmith was removed from her post by Children's Secretary Ed Balls and eventually sacked.
After the Baby P abuse trial concluded, she refused to apologise and insisted social workers had done everything necessary to protect the child.
Shoesmith was widely condemned for visiting Ascot races with her daughter in October last year, two months after Baby P. died, as a guest of Willmott Dixon.
Documents seen by the Standard show Shoesmith authorised a report to councillors in October 2005 recommending the firm for the contract to build the sixth form centre.
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