Secret idea wins award

[Mrs Bradey]

I think the term in law would be obtaining money by deception, that's if she hasn't actually provided the service/ business she said was to be established

technically, she didn't obtain the money, it was gifted to her by way of a competition prize. you would have to prove that the competition organisers conspired prior to judging, that she would win. that would be conspiracy to commit fraud. then you would need to prove that the eventual winner was also part of the conspiracy, then, and only then would there be a case to answer. it would be unlikely as one of the conspirators would need to make a statement and give evidence to that effect. the charge would then probably be obtaining money by deception. as there would be many conspirators it would be a long and expensive case, the procurator fiscal would probably not proceed with because of cost to the public purse, and the case would probably collapse due to all the dubious witnesses.

[RagnarRocks]

technically, she didn't obtain the money, it was gifted to her by way of a competition prize. you would have to prove that the competition organisers conspired prior to judging, that she would win. that would be conspiracy to commit fraud. then you would need to prove that the eventual winner was also part of the conspiracy, then, and only then would there be a case to answer. it would be unlikely as one of the conspirators would need to make a statement and give evidence to that effect. the charge would then probably be obtaining money by deception. as there would be many conspirators it would be a long and expensive case, the procurator fiscal would probably not proceed with because of cost to the public purse, and the case would probably collapse due to all the dubious witnesses.

Oh well all seems a bit of a farce at the end of the day lot of money for not much in return

[Mrs Bradey]

Oh well all seems a bit of a farce at the end of the day lot of money for not much in return

its the modern way

[Mr Z]

Well well £20K for a £20 web site. when I saw what it was I had to laugh. Four years ago I had an idea to set up a Caithness shop on the internet, it was a site where local businesses could be shown on a site aimed at both locals and the tourist trade . I carried out market research at £0 cost to the public purse. I was advised to approach Chamber of commerce and H.I.E for assistance so submitted my business plan. Neither party thought it a good idea and my market research showed it was not a popular idea with local businesses- they saw no benefit. I walked away from the idea. What I presented in my business plan was more than the 2 years effort show in the current site. If looking at this idea again I would take it into the 21st century. Link it to phone apps allowing the user to download for free and for a small yearly contract allow the business to message users with specific relevant info. Now there some free advice for the site. If you want more it will cost!!!!

[joxville]

£10k for THAT!!! Bobinovich could have knocked that up in 30 seconds. Cronyism at work :-/

[Big Gaz]

£10k for THAT!!! Bobinovich could have knocked that up in 30 seconds. Cronyism at work :-/

I also have a fantastic business plan! It's a secret but will take all of 30 seconds to succeed! Thats a whole 5 seconds to think of a crummy idea and 25 seconds to nip round the bank to cash the big fat cheque!

[Doolally]

Such a shame with so many struggling to get funding to put their plans into action and make a living for themselves. The money should have been given to someone with the drive to at least give it a good shot, not someone who a year later goes back into their old public service job.

As a tax payer, we should be questioning whether or not this woman's role is contributing much! To be able to spread the work around a little and then pick it up again a year later sounds as though we're not getting value for OUR money.

[RagnarRocks]

I can't say that in the private sector many companies would allow you a year off to follow a private venture then give you your job back when it didn't work out, unless you are an incredibly gifted person. Its about time the public sector had some accountability to the people who ultimately pay their wages.

[wickblast]

hell-cat training should have won the award if you ask me she provides a service to the local contractors that saves us all having to travel out off caithness to get our training done so she would get my vote best idea up here for ages

[Droopy]

Have you got actually got any evidence of either of those claims, or are you simply fuelling the rumour mill with pure hearsay?

Wise owl,
Please click on the link below, my mistake about the feasibility study, it was actually 23k. See if you can find out anywhere what the taxpayer got for our 23k. Also try and find what "symposium" means, be nice if we could all get 5k for one. Typical quango talk.

http://www.hie.co.uk/common/handlers...3-068011121140

Look in to the 100k for the Renewable Directory, a basic google director search shows 2 directors, one in England whos been dissolved a number of times and the other whos other directorships include kitchen sales.

Also, I wonder who was on "the expert panel" who chose the winner? Ms Schemes fellow director of youlovelocal works at the same place as a Caithness Chamber Executive Director........
And why wouldn't the mentor whoever they are, not advise the Head of Tourism for Caithness and Sutherland that a marketing company for premoting local goods needs a logo.......schoolboy stuff.

It's actually worrying that the 2 organisations thought there wouldn't be an outcry over this farce, are they that almighty?
Did the winner win the prize.....or was the prize invented for the winner?......

All public information readily available on the Internet.

Tip of the iceberg stuff here......

[Droopy]

£10k for THAT!!! Bobinovich could have knocked that up in 30 seconds. Cronyism at work :-/

Heres a link to the "survey"......first published in October 2013, 1 year after 'winning' the prize and I'd have thought precisely when she'd to let HIE know she wanted her job back.....

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YouLoveLocal_Consumers

[RagnarRocks]

That's a joke right ? The survey is huge for such a simplistic website obviously someone hasn't a clue what they are up to unless its how to waste money

[Mr Z]

With regard to the HIE funded Renewables Directory how is our £100k being spent there? Has it been money well spent? Which directory is it as there are several Renewables Directories!!! A guess would be the small Glasgow based one which shows HIE assistance. Can anyone confirm?

[Bobinovich]

Yes that would appear to be the one - Renewables Directory Ltd. with web address renewablesdirectory.eu which doesn't actually have anything up, but which is registered to a former Teenabowlie, although his LinkedIn profile says he was MD of RD only up to Sep. 2013...

[webmannie]

I believe the employment funding (£100k) required somebody to be employed in Caithness. I believe nobody was employed so therefore the £100k wouldn't have been released. I would hope!

[Droopy]

Would anyone here from HIE or CoC like to clear up something I've been PM'd?

Did the Chamber of Commerce need a £200,000 handout from HIE this month in order to keep their 7 members of staff (Trudy's Troops) in wages? If this is true it's unbelievable and a proper kick in the face to every proper business in Caithness. What sort of example does that set on the back of the Rachel Skene scandal/fiasco/embarrassment.

Also, why is the last set of annual accounts for the chamber on their website only up to March 2011?

http://caithnesschamber.com/about/annual-accounts/

Surely one of the seven members of staff would have time to put the latest set on the website?

It's high time the Groat or P&J used the freedom of information act to blow open why Trudy has received hundreds and hundreds of thousands over the years from HIE to only go bust in the real world of business, but yet receives more year on year in quango land?