Anna Brunt: £300K for Maddie McCann, Operation Grange. I’ve asked the National Audit Office to Investigate

£300K for Maddie McCann, Operation Grange. I’ve asked the National Audit Office to Investigate.

 Anna Brunt   Corruption   7th Jun 2019  5 Minutes

There’s criteria and due process for obtaining Home Office ‘Special Grants’. I don’t believe the Home Office have followed that.

I’ve already outlined on this blog that there really are some strange ‘coincidences’ going on in respect of the Madeleine McCann case and I. Madeleine is now often affectionately called ‘Maddie’. Hmm…

It was widely reported a couple of days ago that the Home Office has written to the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime with assurances that Operation Grange will be given £300K more for next year. I assume that is Sophie Linden. Well that’s interesting, because a few weeks back, I wrote to her too (or should I say MeToo?):

The Home Office published a blog post about more funding for Operation Grange. Within it they state the following:

Home Office News Team, 5th June 2019 wrote:“Due to this, the next round of Special Grant funding will not be decided until October, however we have written to Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime in the meantime with assurance that the MPS will receive a similar level of funding for Operation Grange for 2019/20 as it did for the previous year.
Last year the Home Office provided £300,000 of funding to the MPS. The cost of Operation Grange to date is £11.75m.”

Not quite sure why this refers to 2019/2020 as being essentially ‘next year’, as I would have presumed they follow typical fiscal timings, however that aside, I shrugged, because it all isn’t sitting right with me! I then looked on many public forums and found lots of people clearly disgruntled with this decision. I then researched who investigates the use of public money and the process for obtaining ‘Special Grants’ from the Home Office.

There is clearly a criteria of how such funding is obtained. The Home Office issue guidance for how ‘Special Grants’ are accessed. They state:

Home Office Guidance for Special Grant Funding wrote:“During phase 1 the financial threshold test should be considered. Do the costs amount to 1% of the force’s budget?
If the financial threshold in phase 1 is met, during phase 2 the relevant PCC can make a case for award of special grant funding.”

I would assume that that therefore means any funds requested must amount to 1% of the forces budget. Obviously £300K comes no-where close to that. Removing the ability they should even have to apply for a ‘Special Grant’ fund in respect of Operation Grange.

Then, we have the small point, that to try and make ‘Special Grant’ funding fair, the process involves Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) conducting an independent review of Special Grant funding, so they can check on what it is needed for and make a recommendation.

I could be wrong about this, but I think it is highly unlikely that it was possible for that to have occurred already. If so, that means that HMICFRS have not necessarily provided a recommendation. Due process does not seem to have been followed.

This case is surrounded with what appears to be fraud, lies, government interference and government actions that are frankly unprecedented. I’ve asked HMICFRS to clarify this and what previous recommendations they made via a whatdotheyknow FOI request.

Given the above, surely it’s time that someone outside of the government investigates? I understand that the National Audit Office can review government spending. I’ve written to them to asked them to investigate. I’d suggest anyone with similar concerns does the same. Here’s what I wrote:

Dear Sir/Madam,

In addition to the below, I believe the funding for this comes from Home Office Special Grants.
Here is the funding criteria: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-funding-special-grant-guidance/special-grant-guidance

That states that:
a) All applications should be independently reviewed by HMICFRS.  I do not feel that it was possible for that to occur prior to the announcement.  I.E. it appears a decision has been made prior to them seeking an independent recommendation that is required in respect of Special Grant funding.
b) It appears that any Special Grant funding made must be for at least 1% of the Police Forces budget.  Clearly £300K wouldn’t meet that financial threshold.

Given the above and the below, I certainly feel this gives rise to an independent investigation into this funding.
Please let me know the outcome of your consideration of this request.

Thanks, Anna

From: Anna Brunt
Sent: 06 June 2019 19:18
To: enquiries@nao.org.uk
Subject: Concerns regarding Home Office Allocation of Funds to Operation Grange

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to kindly ask whether you would consider investigating the ongoing funding of ‘Operation Grange’, by the Home Office, via ‘Special Grants’.
Yesterday, it was revealed on the Home Office blog: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2019/06/05/home-office-update-on-funding-for-operation-grange/ that prior to all Special Grant funding requests being received and considered, the Home Office appears to have already pledged £300K to fund this further.

This is taken directly from that blog:
“Due to this, the next round of Special Grant funding will not be decided until October, however we have written to Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime in the meantime with assurance that the MPS will receive a similar level of funding for Operation Grange for 2019/20 as it did for the previous year.

Last year the Home Office provided £300,000 of funding to the MPS. The cost of Operation Grange to date is £11.75m.”

This is of concern, because they appear to have pledged money to this, potentially prior to understanding the following:
1. Whether the previous money pledged has produced results.
2. Whether this is delivering value for taxpayers.
3. It appears a decision was made prior to them receiving an application and prior to them fully considering that application and I am concerned that potentially goes against the formal way that Special Grant funding should be allocated.
4. What other Special Grant funding requests will be received and whether the funds are better allocated to those. Little has been put into the public domain over a course of several years that suggests this funding is actually generating results.

Furthermore, I wish to highlight that there appears to be a significant backlash against this from the public in general.  I reviewed social media in respect of feedback of this decision and found that around 9 out of 10 members of public appear to disagree with this decision and have concerns about why this decision has been made. 

Common feedback included:
a) Feelings that this is very disproportionate in respect of money spent on other missing children searches
b) People stating there appeared to be bias due to the parents professions and personal connections
c) People questioning why the parents had never been questioned under caution by the Metropolitan Police
d) Many people questioning how this funding is justifiable in a period of time of austerity
e) Several people felt that the government/parents knew what had happened already
f) Many people pointing out that the government involvement in this case from the outset has been unusual and not in line with precedents

There are literally thousands of people questioning this allocation of public funds and expressing views to show they disagree with this decision.  The decision also appears to have been made without proper due process.

I also have my own personal concerns regarding this allocation of funds, however I think for the purposes of asking you to consider investigating this, it is better to focus on the procedural elements and public sentiment in respect of this decision.  
Could you please let me know if you are willing to investigate this?  It is well worth reviewing some public feedback in public forums (social media, blogs and comments on newspaper sites) so you can see the extent of the dissatisfaction being expressed by members of the public about this decision.

Yours sincerely,

Anna Brunt, MBA

There comes a time when lies catch-up with people, when farces shouldn’t be allowed to continue and when action needs to occur to stop unethical, immoral actions and behaviour that shows a complete lack of integrity. I believe that time is now and that this ‘Maddie’ project should be stopped.

2019 Anna Brunt

https://annabrunt.home.blog/2019/06/07/300k-for-maddie-mccann-operation-grange-ive-asked-the-national-audit-office-to-investigate/?fbclid=IwAR1TA5i3ZjzJ9lQrhltyxLxFoARHu8d5fKLcE2FL0-BMWMWuv_7-5e8jifw