DLUHC: Victims of a £1M+ Deception?

DLUHC: Victims of a £1M+ Deception?

Harbours correspondent ALLAN ROBERTS has one again identified a telling discrepancy in Scarborough Borough Council’s accountancy. This article follows on the heels of a closely-related piece entitled “Town Deal Board Hood-Winked?”, published on 11th April 2022. It now appears that the Department for Levelling Up, Homes & Communities (DLUHC) may also have been duped.

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Here is direct evidence of  more disturbing acts of deception, downloaded from the highly unpopular West Pier Regeneration Business Case, as delivered to (and accepted by) the Depatment for Levelling Up, Homes & Communities (DLUHC).

1.3 Project Objectives and Case for Change

Scarborough Harbour is the UK’s second major shellfish port by volume of catch. The local maritime industry currently employs approximately 150 people with close to an additional 150 in related employment.

Scarborough’s fleet of 35 local and 23 visiting vessels landed 851.7 tonnes of product in 2020, which generated revenues of £2.8m from fishing and associated revenues of £300,000.  

The benefit of fishing to local economy is in excess of £3.1m a year. Scarborough’s standing as a key fishing port, and its legacy as a whitefish port have been in gradual decline with the reduction of its whitefish fleet.

The truth is that, in 2020, the Scarborough fishing fleet landed 944 tonnes, generating revenues of £3,902 347, a discrepancy of c. £1.1 million, as compared to the Business Case.

Here is a screenshot taken from the Scarborough Harbour Masters report, with the figures for the year 2020 highlighted in green:

Not 851.7 tonnes;  943.9 tonnes.

Not £2.8 million; £3.9 million.

Marked down to signify decline?

And here is the SBC ‘official’ bar-graph, using Covid and the crustacean die-off to support the alleged “gradual decline” in landings:

Could it that not only the Scarborough Town Deal Board (STDB) has been hoodwinked by SBC Officers, but also that the Department for Levelling Up, Homes & Communities (DLUHC) has been duped, to the tune of £1,100,000?

Over to you, David Kerfoot!