Latest news with #BrynHowells
Times
17-07-2025
- Business
- Times
Council worker who earned £230k juggling four jobs convicted of fraud
A worker who earned more than £230,000 from four jobs at various local authorities has been convicted of fraud. Bryn Howells, from Ebley in Stroud, Gloucestershire, submitted false time sheets, misrepresented his hours to his employers and failed to declare his multiple jobs. Gloucester crown court heard that between February 2022 and June 2023 Howells was employed as strategic housing and enabling officer at Tewkesbury borough council, senior development surveyor at South Gloucestershire council and valuer and estates surveyor at Publica Group — a delivery organisation set up by four other councils. In total he received salaries and other benefits of approximately £236,000, the court heard. It was said that Howells also held a fourth role with another local authority via an agency but this employment was not included in the case. Howells told the court he was not motivated by money or greed but instead a desire to 'work as many hours as possible' to help stretched and understaffed councils lacking in expertise. He claimed that his failure to declare his other employment to each council was an 'unintentional oversight' and the false hours he declared on his time sheets were actually the hours that he was available to work. The prosecution said that Howells had been dishonest and he was aware that he would have faced action if he declared his other jobs. The fraud was uncovered through a review of payroll data by the Tewkesbury borough council's Counter Fraud and Enforcement Unit (CFEU), as part of the Cabinet Office's National Fraud Initiative (NFI). At the time Howells was still employed by Tewkesbury borough council and Publica Group, having recently resigned from South Gloucestershire council. A disciplinary investigation was launched alongside a criminal investigation by the CFEU. Howells was suspended by both remaining employers and later resigned before disciplinary hearings could take place. The crackdown followed an increase in employees working from home since the pandemic creating a surge in those with two or more full-time jobs without their workplaces being aware. In April, the NFI said it had identified 23 cases in preliminary investigations of London boroughs and discovered half a million pounds of overpaid salaries over a period of a few months. Simon Dix, Tewkesbury borough council's executive director of resources, said: 'We are deeply disappointed by Mr Howells's actions, which fell far short of the standards expected of public servants.'By receiving four publicly funded salaries and benefits, Mr Howells's conduct was wholly dishonest and represents a serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds.' Howells is due to be sentenced on August 28. The councils involved are seeking to recover salary and pension and national insurance contributions.
Daily Record
17-07-2025
- Daily Record
Man found guilty of pocketing public funds while working four council jobs
Bryn Howells has been found guilty of fraud after pocketing more than £230,000 in salaries and benefits – all funded by taxpayers. A man has been convicted of fraud after secretly juggling four separate jobs across multiple councils and raking in a six-figure salary from public funds. Bryn Howells, from Ebley in Stroud, Gloucestershire, pulled in £236,000 in salary and benefits between February 2022 and June 2023 by working simultaneously for Tewkesbury Borough Council, South Gloucestershire Council, and Publica Group – a company delivering services for three local authorities. A fourth council role, obtained via an agency, was not included in the prosecution. He kept quiet about his existing employment while applying for new posts and submitted false timesheets, claiming he was available to work when he was actually committed elsewhere, reports the BBC. Mr Howells is due to be sentenced on August 28 for what one council branded a "serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds." During his trial at Gloucester Crown Court, Howells insisted he didn't intend to mislead anyone and denied being motivated by money. He claimed he was simply trying to help councils struggling with staff shortages and that any failure to disclose his other jobs was an 'unintentional oversight.' He told the court he believed the hours logged on timesheets represented time he was 'available' rather than actively working. But prosecutors described his actions as 'nothing short of dishonest' and said that if any of the councils had known about his other full-time roles, they would not have hired him. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The roles he held included strategic housing and enabling officer, senior development surveyor, and valuer and estates surveyor. The fraud came to light after a routine payroll review by Tewkesbury Borough Council's counter-fraud team. Simon Dix, executive director of resources at the council, said: 'We are deeply disappointed by Mr Howells' actions, which fell far short of the standards expected of public servants. "By receiving four publicly funded salaries and benefits, Mr Howells' conduct was wholly dishonest and represents a serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds. "We have a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and take matters of integrity extremely seriously. "We have reviewed our internal procedures to help prevent similar incidents in the future.' The councils involved are now seeking to recover salaries, pension payments, and national insurance contributions linked to the deception.
BBC News
15-07-2025
- BBC News
Gloucestershire man with four council jobs found guilty of fraud
A man has been found guilty of fraud after moonlighting in four separate jobs at multiple councils, accruing a large salary from public February 2022 and June 2023, Bryn Howells was employed by Tewkesbury Borough Council, South Gloucestershire Council and Publica Group - a company providing services on behalf of three district councils. He failed to disclose his existing employment when taking on new roles and submitted false timesheets, accruing a salary and benefits totalling £236, is due to be sentenced on 28 August for what one employer described as a "serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds". Mr Howells, of Ebley in Stroud, Gloucestershire, told Gloucester Crown Court he did not set out to deceive and was not motivated by greed or he described a strong desire to "work as many hours as possible" to support local authorities where skilled staff were in short also claimed any failure to declare his employment to each council was an "unintentional oversight", and the hours declared on his timesheets were, in his mind, hours he made himself "available" for the council's barrister said Mr Howells' actions were nothing short of dishonest. Had he disclosed to each council that he planned to retain full-time employment elsewhere, he would not have been employed by them. Mr Howells simultaneously held the roles of strategic housing and enabling officer, senior development surveyor, and valuer and estates surveyor. He also held a fourth role with another council via an agency during this period, but this was not included in the prosecution case. 'Wholly dishonest' The fraud was only uncovered after a review of payroll data was undertaken by Tewkesbury Borough Council's counter-fraud Dix, Tewkesbury Borough Council's executive director of resources, said: "We are deeply disappointed by Mr Howells' actions, which fell far short of the standards expected of public servants. "By receiving four publicly funded salaries and benefits, Mr Howells' conduct was wholly dishonest and represents a serious breach of trust and misuse of public funds."We have a zero-tolerance approach to fraud and take matters of integrity extremely seriously. "We have reviewed our internal procedures to help prevent similar incidents in the future."The councils are also looking to recover salary, pension contributions, and national insurance contributions earned by Mr Howells as a result of his dishonesty.
