Marshland St James: Car fire

Fri Dec 31 2010 LYNN NEWS
FIREFIGHTERS tackled a car on fire in a Marshland village.
The vehicle was ablaze yesterday afternoon (Thursday) in Smeeth Road, Marshland St James.
Crews from Wisbech were called and were at the scene for half-an-hour.


Alarm after spate of arsons hit area
Published Fri Oct 15 2010 -LYNN NEWS
POLICE are urging residents to be on their guard after NINE separate incidents of arson in the last three weeks.
Trees, a number of vehicles and a boat have all been torched - leading to the fear there might be more attacks to come.
Residents in Downham and Marshland are being urged to remain vigilant following the worrying series of arsons which have left communities reeling.
Local police chief Inspector Mick Bates says the pattern is highly unusual and is asking communities to report suspicious behaviour.
Police are currently investigating the incidents which have taken place in villages including Marshland St James, Walpole Highway and Upwell as well as in Downham.
Inspector Bates said: "While these incidents are not necessarily linked, this is a highly unusual emerging trend.
"Anyone who suspects those involved can contact police in confidence."
Officers are currently investigating:
* 73 bales of hay set alight in a field off Narborough Road, Marham, causing more than £1,400 worth of damage. It happened at 8.15pm on Wednesday, September 1.
* Three arsons to trees, hedge and fencing at the rear of properties in Main Road, Terrington St John, on September 14, 17 and 23.
* Parked vehicle set alight at the junction with Lynn Road and Mill Road in Walpole Highway at 5.15am on October 4. Two people in a vehicle seen near the scene.
* The same period, vehicle outside Terrington St John Post Office, School Road, set alight, spreading to two neighbouring vehicles and the building itself, with residents inside at the time.
* Boat set alight at its mooring in Town Street, Upwell, between 2.15am and 2.30am on Wednesday, October 6. Boat destroyed at an estimated cost of £20,000.
* Car at the rear of Wales Court, Downham, set alight between 2am and 2.15am on Thursday, October 7.
* Vehicle burnt out in a business compound Broomhill, Downham, following attempted theft between Saturday, October 9 and Monday, October 11.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Norfolk police on 0845 456 4567 or pass information, in confidence, via the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555111.

A thousand hay bales destroyed in overnight fire

The Lynn News Thursday Feb 10 2011
A THOUSAND hay bales were destroyed after an arson attack last night (Wednesday).
The blaze took place in Grange Farm and crews from the village and Wisbech, along with police, were called.
Firefighters were at the field for two hours and a crew from Outwell returned this morning (Thursday) for half-an-hour to carry out an inspection.
The fire-damaged area is expected to smoulder for several days, according to a fire service spokesman, who added that no-one was injured in the blaze.


Marshland St James: Costume jewellery theft

Published on Friday 20 May 2011 LYNN NEWS 
COSTUME jewellery was stolen from a marshland home after thieves broke in through a bedroom window.
The burglary took place in Smeeth Road, Marshland St James, between 8.30am and 4.45pm on Wednesday.
Anyone with information should contact Det Con Sarah Mitchell at Lynn CID on 0845 4564567 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Diamond engagement ring stolen from Marshland home

Published on Tuesday 7 June 2011 LYNN NEWS 
A DIAMOND engagement ring was stolen from a Marshland home after thieves broke in through the front door.
The piece of jewellery was made of white gold and featured an 18k diamond.
Other items which were stolen included a white gold chain with a triangle pendant, an iPod Classic, two laptops and £250.
The burglary took place in Sutton Road, Walpole Cross Keys, between Saturday, May 21 and Monday, May 23.

Here is the full story of Marshland St James Parish Clerk BEVERLEY BOUGHEN as reported in the local press. It seems that this calculating criminal systematically stole and defrauded local people out of large sums of money by stealing from 4 parish councils including Marshland St James and also from a charity. It seems that Marshland St James Parish Council did not carry out a CRB (Criminal records) check or any other form of scrutiny or background investigation when they employed this convicted thief and forger to work for them. Too busy and involved with far more important things at the time no doubt....  More than a bit slow on the uptake it would appear and obviosly not up to the job.

Details of an investigation that had been going on for almost a year beforehand were first given in the press in August 2010. Here are the press releases in date order;

Snettisham: Parish clerk suspended

Published on Thu Aug 19 16:20:19 BST 2010
SNETTISHAM’S Parish Council clerk has been suspended after she was arrested on suspicion of fraud.
Beverley Boughen, of Station Road, Snettisham, had been clerk for around six years and held the same position at Ringstead, Burnham Market and Marshland St James parish councils.
A public notice outside the council office, in Lynn Road, Snettisham, said: "The parish clerk will be suspended with immediate effect."
The decision was made at a full meeting on July 16, and it was requested the clerk should return the parish council office keys and all locks and passwords should be changed.
Gina Griffin has been appointed temporary acting clerk and since then the office has only been open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
It will be closed on Tuesday and Thursday until a review, which is due to take place next month, according to the public notice.
The statement added the chair and vice-chair of the parish council’s finance committee will look at financial records from this year and last year with the help of an independent internal auditor.
Mrs Boughen completed a two-year course in local policy from the University of Gloucestershire last year and has four children.
When the Lynn News approached her for a comment she declined.
A police spokesman said: "A 41-year-old woman from the Snettisham area has been arrested on suspicion of fraud and released on bail until August 31. She will answer bail at Lynn police station."


Council cash probe extended

Published on Fri Sep 24 06:51:20 BST 2010
A PARISH council is in crisis after its long-running chairman has resigned and police investigations into its finances continue.
The news of Sybil Melton’s decision to stand down from Snettisham Parish Council was met by cheers from 150 villagers at the monthly meeting last Wednesday.
A vote of no confidence in the former chairman was planned but withdrawn after council members had received a long resignation letter from Mrs Melton about her "grievances", according to new chairman Heather Blackburn.
Mrs Blackburn was nominated during the meeting, which lasted two hours, and it was also announced that two councillors, Robert Kerr and David Drewery, had resigned prior to the public discussion because of "personal reasons".
West Norfolk Council said the Electoral Registration Officer had received notification of three vacancies at the parish council.
It was also revealed former clerk and responsible financial officer Beverley Boughen, Mrs Melton’s daughter, had been dismissed for gross misconduct and the council had a hole of £60,000 in its funds.
The Lynn News reported in August that Mrs Boughen, 41, had been arrested on suspicion of fraud.
She was released on bail until October 12 and will answer bail at Lynn police station, according to a police spokesman on Wednesday.
The decision to dismiss Mrs Boughen was made by the council’s disciplinary panel, made up of three members.
She was suspended on full pay after a council meeting on July 16 and Gina Griffin was appointed temporary acting clerk.
A report from independent auditor, Roger Canwell, also reiterated the estimated shortfall for the parish council.
The Lynn News approached Mrs Melton, who declined to comment.
Mrs Blackburn said: "We are still trying to build up some of the accounts which are missing. We want to make sure the accounts are as open as possible. There will be no secrets. We need to build something new.
"When the resignation was announced there were cheers. The meeting went very well. I was amazed."
A source, who was at the meeting, told the Lynn News: "I think all the villagers were pleased when they learned Sybil had finished as chairman, and there was a lot of applause at the end."
Mrs Boughen, who has four children, was also the clerk for Burnham Market Parish Council, Ringstead Parish Council, temporary acting clerk for Marshland St James Parish Council and treasurer for Snettisham’s memorial hall and playing field charity.
Her mother was secretary for the independent charity which raises funds for the village hall and recreation ground, but the pair left their posts in March when 10 new trustees were voted in.
Stephen Christopher, a partner from the independent audit, accounting, tax and advisory organisation Mazars, said: "I’m aware investigations are going on."
Individuals from the company are brought-in by West Norfolk Council to look into parish councils’ finances.
The Lynn News approached Ringstead and Marshland St James parish councils but they declined to comment.
Mrs Boughen, who had been the parish clerk in Snettisham for six years had also held the same position in Burnham Market for seven years and was temporary acting clerk for Marshland St James from March last year until May.
Chairman of Burnham Market, Burnham Thorpe, Burnham Norton and South Creake parish councils Geof Hanley said Mrs Boughen resigned in the middle of July after a period of illness.
"In the next 10 days we will have appointed a new clerk," he added.
It was revealed at a Burnham Market Parish Council meeting on Monday that a police investigation had started, and is still ongoing, into the organisation’s accounts after councillors researched financial information supplied by Mrs Boughen.
Mr Hanley said: "A number of actions which were the responsibility of the clerk and responsible financial officer were either not done, not carried out on time or never satisfactorily completed.
"Plausible excuses were often made to justify why the clerk did not carry out her duties or provide the information requested.
"There were a number of queries raised with the clerk about missing or inaccurate account information and delayed or inaccurate statutory returns.
"The clerk was taken through a disciplinary meeting which resulted in her immediate resignation."
During Monday’s meeting, decisions were made which included retrieving available paperwork relating to the council from the clerk, looking at accounts from the past three years and reviewing all current procedures of the council "to eliminate any weaknesses in different roles and responsibilities".
Mr Hanley said: "Our overall aim is to minimise any potential damage to the parish and to ensure there is a clear audit trail for any activity by the council and its members."

Beverley Boughen at various times has been clerk to a number of parish councils, including Marshland St James near Wisbech.
West Norfolk Council checked their yearbook and gave the name of Mrs Boughen as clerk but later confirmed she had now left and a replacement found.
Recently Mrs Boughen has been clerk of Snettisham Parish Council where she has been suspended on full pay and the council office in the village has been closed.
The locks have been changed on the office in Lynn Road, which has been closed since July 19.
A notice on the door states: "The parish office is closed until further notice."
Council minutes posted on the nearby village notice board say: "Members carefully considered letters from the clerk, the chairman and the Trustees of Snettisham Memorial Hall and playing field.
"After discussion it was resolved to suspend the clerk on full pay, resolved to ask the clerk for the key to the office and all passwords, resolved to change the locks to the office."
Parish council vice chairman David Bocking said: "It’s very delicate at the moment and there’s nothing we can say."
Mrs Boughen was also parish clerk to Ringstead and Burnham Market parish councils.
Burnham Market Parish Council could not be contacted. In May Mrs Boughen hit the national headlines, when she defended villagers’ cockerels against complaints they were crowing too loudly.
Mrs Boughen also could not be contacted.
A man who answered the phone at her home in Snettisham said: "She’s been set up."

Snettisham: Parish clerk suspended

Published on Thu Aug 19 16:20:19 BST 2010
SNETTISHAM’S Parish Council clerk has been suspended after she was arrested on suspicion of fraud.
Beverley Boughen, of Station Road, Snettisham, had been clerk for around six years and held the same position at Ringstead, Burnham Market and Marshland St James parish councils.
A public notice outside the council office, in Lynn Road, Snettisham, said: "The parish clerk will be suspended with immediate effect."
The decision was made at a full meeting on July 16, and it was requested the clerk should return the parish council office keys and all locks and passwords should be changed.
Gina Griffin has been appointed temporary acting clerk and since then the office has only been open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
It will be closed on Tuesday and Thursday until a review, which is due to take place next month, according to the public notice.
The statement added the chair and vice-chair of the parish council’s finance committee will look at financial records from this year and last year with the help of an independent internal auditor.
Mrs Boughen completed a two-year course in local policy from the University of Gloucestershire last year and has four children.
When the Lynn News approached her for a comment she declined.
A police spokesman said: "A 41-year-old woman from the Snettisham area has been arrested on suspicion of fraud and released on bail until August 31. She will answer bail at Lynn police station."

Snettisham Parish Council bailed out

Published on Fri Oct 01 07:46:45 BST 2010
SNETTISHAM Parish Council has been bailed out by West Norfolk Council following the revelation of its financial problems.
The Lynn News has learned the borough council has given £30,000 to the troubled organisation as an "initial advance".
David Thomason, deputy chief executive of the council, said: "These are exceptional circumstances and we feel the parish council has very few options to them."
The money will be paid back at the next available opportunity, according to a borough council spokesman.
It was announced at a full parish council meeting on September 15, that the council had a £60,000 shortfall.
The 150 people who attended also learned former clerk and responsible financial officer Beverley Boughen had been dismissed for gross misconduct.
Her mother, Sybil Melton, who was also the chairman, resigned from her position before the meeting – a decision met with cheers from the villagers at the meeting.
Heather Blackburn was nominated as the new chairman that evening.
The Lynn News reported in August that Mrs Boughen, 41, had been arrested on suspicion of fraud.
She was released on bail until October 12 and will answer bail at Lynn police station, according to a police spokesman.
The decision to dismiss the clerk was made by the parish council’s disciplinary panel and she was suspended on full pay when the council met on July 16.
Gina Griffin was appointed temporary acting clerk.
Beverley Boughen was also clerk of Ringstead Parish Council, Burnham Market Parish council and temporary acting clerk for Marshland St James Parish Council.



‘We will NOT pay’ say angry Snettisham residents

Published on Monday 27th December 2010 07:15 AM
SNETTISHAM residents facing a huge rise in their council tax bills have defiantly said they will not pay – some suggesting they would even be prepared to "go to prison" instead.
Around 60 residents attended a heated extraordinary meeting of the parish council at Snettisham Methodist Church on Tuesday and were dismayed to hear councillors put forward a suggested precept requirement of £120,000 for the next financial year.
The coffers at Snettisham have been badly hit by a £60,000 shortfall – and residents are angry that they are being made to pay for it.
Asked why they should foot the bill, chairman Heather Blackburn said: "That’s the way it is".
But resident Dale Singer replied there was "no chance in hell" of that happening, while a group of women defiantly shouted they would go to prison first.
The council is in crisis after long-running chairman Sybil Melton resigned and police investigations into the organisation’s finances continue.
Former clerk Beverley Boughen, Mrs Melton’s daughter, had been dismissed for gross misconduct and the council had a "hole" of £60,000 in its funds.
The Lynn News reported in August that Mrs Boughen, 41, had been arrested on suspicion of fraud. She was later released on bail.
Tuesday’s meeting heard how West Norfolk Council had allotted Snettisham council a £60,000 advance which had to be repaid. However, the underlying precept required for next year would also be £60,000, calculated from projected costs of £90,000 and a projected income of £30,000, meaning the total precept required was £120,000 in all.
One resident suggested that, if accepted, the new precept would mean local households paying more than twice what they were already.
The council has been looking at savings, with some already suggested by way of car park maintenance and the newsletter.
Some of the advance funds had already been drawn down and now it was feared the rest would be swallowed up in tax bills as P.A.Y.E and National Insurance payments.
The meeting finished after more than two hours with the budget and precept request for 2011/2012 – which has to be passed to West Norfolk Council within a deadline – not being resolved.
It was agreed the final figure would not be set until another meeting had taken place.
This meeting will be on Wednesday, January 5 at 7pm in the Memorial Hall, with the Lynn News understanding there will be a chance for residents to speak during public participation.
Mrs Boughen, who has four children, was also clerk for Burnham Market Parish Council, Ringstead Parish Council, temporary acting clerk for Marshland St James Parish Council and treasurer for Snettisham’s memorial hall and playing field charity.
Her mother was secretary for the charity which raises funds for the village hall and recreation ground, but the pair left their posts in March when 10 new trustees were voted in.


26 February 2011 Last updated at 11:39 GMT
BBC NEWS
Norfolk ex-parishes clerk on £60,000 theft charges
A former parish clerk on four councils in west Norfolk has been charged with five counts of theft totalling £60,000.
Beverley Bowen, 41, of Station Road, Snettisham was arrested following an investigation into alleged financial irregularities in council accounts.
She was formerly a clerk of Snettisham, Ringstead, Burnham Market and Marshland St James parish councils.
She is due to appear for a preliminary hearing at King's Lynn Magistrates' Court on 11 March.


Thursday 3 March 2011
Clerk charged with theft
LYNN NEWS
Mar 02 2011
A FORMER clerk of four parish councils has been charged with stealing tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money.
Beverley Boughen, 41, of Station Road, Snettisham, was charged with five counts of theft on Friday, totalling more than £60,000.
Mrs Boughen was the clerk of Snettisham, Ringstead, Burnham Market and Marshland St James parish councils until last summer.
The charges come about following an investigation into alleged financial irregularities in the councils’ accounts, according to a police spokesman.
The Lynn News reported in August last year that the 41-year-old was suspended from her post in Snettisham after a full parish meeting on July 16.
Gina Griffin was appointed temporary acting clerk.
Mrs Boughen will appear at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Friday, March 11.

Former parish council clerk in court charged with theft
Published on Friday 11 March 2011 15:30
A FORMER parish council clerk accused of stealing more than £60,000 appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court this morning (Friday).
Beverley Boughen, 41, of Station Road, Snettisham, arrived just before 9.30am with her defence solicitor Stuart Wild.
Wearing black trousers, a light top and a black cardigan, she did not enter a plea to the five charges of theft put to her in the courtroom.
The short hearing was told Boughen was the clerk, treasurer and responsible financial officer for Snettisham, Ringstead, Marshland St James and Burnham Market parish councils.
She also held similar posts for the Heacham and District Community Car Scheme and Snettisham’s memorial hall and playing field charity.
Yvonne Neil, prosecuting, said Boughen had been in those positions for varying periods of up to 18 years.
The 41-year-old was accused of the following thefts:
-£11,803.83 from Ringstead Parish Council between May 1, 2009, and July 31 last year. -£5,033.60 from the Heacham and District Community Car Scheme between April 1, 2008, and March 31 last year.
-£18,255.20 from Marshland St James Parish Council between January 1 and March 5 last year.
-£19,849.47 from Burnham Market Parish Council between April 1, 2006, and July 31 last year.
-£6,970.77 from Snettisham Parish Council between July 1, 2009, and May 31 last year.
Presiding magistrate was Margaret Oechsle and Boughen is due to appear at the same court on April 26 for a committal hearing to crown court. She was given unconditional bail.




Eastern Daily Press 11.3.2011

The former clerk of four parish councils has appeared at court today on five theft charges totalling more than £60,000.


Beverley Jane Boughen, 41, of Station Road, Snettisham, appeared before magistrates in King’s Lynn just after 10am but gave no plea indication to any of the charges.
She is accused of stealing money which belonged to Ringstead, Marshland St James, Burnham Market and Snettisham parish councils. It is also alleged she stole money which belonged to Heacham and District Community Car Scheme.
Magistrates committed the 41-year-old’s case for trial at the crown court but the Snettisham resident will return to King’s Lynn Magistrates’ Court for a committal hearing next month.
Boughen, who was clerk of Snettisham, Ringstead, Burnham Market and Marshland St James parish councils, was given unconditional bail.

Ex-clerk hearing adjourned

Published on Tuesday 26 April 2011 15:46
LYNN magistrates on Tuesday adjourned proceedings against a former parish council clerk and treasurer who is accused of stealing more than £60,000.
Beverley Boughen, 41, of Station Avenue, Snettisham, is charged with thefts from Ringstead, Marshland St James, Burnham Market and Snettisham parish councils and from Heacham and District Community Car Scheme.
Mrs Boughen was further remanded on bail until until May 10.


Clerk faces crown court

Published on Thursday 12 May 2011 17:38
A FORMER parish council clerk accused of stealing more than £60,000 of taxpayers’ money has been committed to crown court.
Beverley Boughen, 41, of Manor Road, Dersingham, was committed to Norwich Crown Court during a hearing at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
One extra charge was also added at the hearing, meaning Boughen now faces six counts of theft from employer. She has not indicated any pleas.
Boughen is accused of stealing the money while working as the clerk and treasurer for Snettisham, Ringstead, Marshland St James and Burnham Market parish councils, and also while holding similar posts at the Heacham and District Community Car Scheme and Snettisham Memorial Hall and Playing Field Charity.
She is charged with the following thefts:
£11,803.83 from Ringstead Parish Council between May 1, 2009, and July 31 last year. 
£5,033.60 from the Heacham and District Community Car Scheme between April 1, 2008, and March 31 last year. 
£18,255.20 from Marshland St James Parish Council between January 1 and March 5 last year.
£19,849.47 from Burnham Market Parish Council between April 1, 2006, and July 31 last year.
£6,970.77 from Snettisham Parish Council between July 1, 2009, and May 31 last year.
£360 from Snettisham Memorial Hall and Playing Field Charity between March 1 and 31, 2009.
Boughen is due to appear at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday, June 7, for a plea and directions hearing. She was given unconditional bail.

Beverley Boughen has been sentenced to 18 months in jail.
Thieving Norfolk parish clerk jailed for ‘dreadful’ breach of trust
PETER WALSH and DAVID BLACKMORE Friday, July 1, 2011
6:54 AM
The former clerk of four parish councils who stole more than £60,000 has been jailed for her "quite dreadful breach of trust."
Beverley Jane Boughen, 42, of Manor Road, Dersingham, appeared at Norwich Crown Court yesterday to be sentenced after admitting to five thefts, which totalled £62,962.83, at a previous hearing.
William Carter, prosecuting, said the thefts involved money stolen from Ringstead, Marshland St James, Burnham Market and Snettisham parish councils and the Heacham and District Community Car Scheme between 2008 and 2010.
He said: "These are organisations which are very often run on a voluntary basis by people who give of their 
time and energy and where complete trust is and has to be placed in the parish clerk and finance officer, and Mrs Boughen in each case breached that trust."
Last night, chairmen of the parish councils affected said this case was a "big learning curve", with one council set to continue paying off its "huge debt" for years to come.
The court heard yesterday that Boughen, a mother-of-four, formerly of Station Road, Snettisham, had, unbeknown to her family, run up debts on credit and store cards and was "robbing Peter to pay Paul", as Mr Carter put it.
She also used money from the different organisations, which was obtained in many cases by forging parish councillors’ signatures on cheques, misappropriating cheques to herself or her husband, or other parish councils, to pay for other items.
Mr Carter said she bought an old VW Beetle car for her husband "as a project to do up", made payments in respect of her daughter’s wedding, went on holiday to Spain and looked at hiring a helicopter for her daughter’s school prom.
In all cases including Snettisham, where her mother used to be chairman and where councillors had known her "most, if not all, of her life" the anomalies were discovered after concerns led to audits being carried out.
Christopher Milligan, mitigating, said that in acting as clerk for four parish councils at the same time Boughen had got in "over her head" and "taken on too much responsibility for someone who up until 2004 hadn’t worked" but was a housewife bringing up four children.
He said her debt had got "out of control" and that as a "loving wife and mother didn’t want to explain how out of control the family finances had got".
He said: "She has showed remorse and is clearly very sorry for what she’s done not only to the local community where she’s had to leave and move house because she’s so ashamed and embarrassed about what’s happened, but she’s also terribly, terribly sorry for what she’s done to her husband and children.
"They didn’t know about the problems she was suffering from when this offending took place – she suffered silently and offended silently. They were not aware that money was going missing and she was spending it."
Sentencing Boughen to 18 months in custody, which was reduced from three years because of her guilty pleas and the impact on her family, recorder Mark Dennis QC said: "It was a high degree of trust which you had imposed upon you not by one but by five quite separate bodies and you breached that trust. It really was a quite dreadful breach of trust."
He added that the matter that weighed most on his mind in sentencing Boughen was the impact it would have on her family.
Boughen, who will serve half her sentence before being released on licence, was also told she would have a sixth similar matter, which has not been dealt with, remain on file.
Speaking after the sentencing, Eric Langford, Snettisham Parish Council chairman, said: "Some of the villagers will be delighted that she is paying for her crime with a custodial sentences.
"There will, however, be many of us who are still disappointed with the high price left for the village to pay and continue to pay for years to come.
"I feel that our village is the biggest victim in all of this because, with the three other villages the missing money came from cheques which the banks have given back but with us it was all cash.
"We have had to take out a £30,000 loan as a result of her leaving us practically bankrupt and we will have to pay the money back.
"As a parish we have a huge debt and I’m worried about what we will do next year but currently we are trying to cut costs everywhere."
Ringstead Parish Council chairman Pat Nevin said all the council’s missing money had been paid back in full by its bank.
She said: "It was a big jolt when it all came to light what had happened and going through all the accounts last summer to see exactly how much was missing.
"The thing is, with the job of parish clerk it is all down to trust. Beverley had lots of qualifications and we weren’t the only parish council she worked for.
"She had a good name and this was not the sort of thing you would expect to happen. It has been quite a big learning curve for us.
"You pay them a good wage to do a job and you simply can’t check up on everything they are doing.
"When you have someone who is also very plausible when you ask questions and you only meet once a month, it can go on for a long time before you can see things are going wrong and that’s what happened here."
She added: "We have now appointed a new clerk who hasn’t been a clerk before but she lives in the village and is well-known to us all.
"She understands we need to double check everything from now on and she brings all the paperwork to meetings."

18 months in jail for parish clerk

Published on Friday 1 July 2011 11:29
A "greedy" parish council clerk who stole more than £60,000 from a number of organisations she worked for and spent the money among other things on her daughter’s wedding was yesterday jailed for 18 months.
Beverley Boughen, 42, of Manor Road, Dersingham, pleaded guilty at Norwich Crown Court to five offences of theft totalling £62,962.83 – £5,000 of which was spent on her daughter Jasmine’s wedding. Other money was spent on buying a VW Beetle for her husband "to do up."
Jailing her Recorder Mark Dennis QC said : "It was a dreadful breach of trust, letting down the community for your own personal gain for long periods. It involved forgery and covering up – the root of it was sheer dishonesty and greed on a good deal of non-essential items."
The victims were Heacham and District Community Car Scheme and Ringstead, Marshland St James, Burnham Market and Snettisham parish councils.
Ringstead lost £11,803.83, Heacham £5,033.60, Marshland £18,255.20, Burnham Market £19,849.47 and Snettisham £8,020.73. A further charge of stealing £360 from Snettisham Village Memorial Hall and Playing Field Charity was ordered to lie on the file.
William Carter, QC, prosecuting, said amounts of £3,209 and £1,500 was spent on Boughen’s daughter’s wedding. Money also went on items in relation to the purchase of a summer house.
Mr Carter continued : "She had looked into hiring a helicopter for her daughter to take her to her prom night and bought a VW Beetle for her husband to do up as a project. She told police she had to pay a £1,000 a month mortgage and £650-a-month loan."
He said her offences between May 1, 2009 and July 31 last year involved use of "Tippex, forging second signatures, taking cash from fun and craft fair money and using other money to repay Snettisham where her mother had been chairman."
Mitigating, Christopher Milligan said mother-of-four, Boughen, had accrued credit card debts.
He continued: "She volunteered to be parish council clerk in 2004 at Snettisham and went on to assist other councils but her debts began to grow after the amounts of credit for store cards were increased reaching £30,000."
Although she went on holiday to Spain, family paid for the fares, he said, and added: "It is a classic case of borrowing from Peter to pay Paul."
He said that similar problems exist in parish councils "all over the country" because of the lax accounting systems."


We were ‘hoodwinked’ says Snettisham Parish Council chairman
Published on Friday 8 July 2011 14:00
DEBT-RIDDEN Snettisham Parish Council has claimed its members were "hoodwinked" by former clerk and convicted fraudster Beverley Boughen.
The full extent of the council’s financial situation was revealed by chairman, Eric Langford, on Wednesday evening to more than 50 villagers at Snettisham’s Village Memorial Hall.
He said: "Some concerns have been raised with me that newspapers show £8,000 was stolen from Snettisham Parish Council – we are £53,000 in debt.
"As a consequence of the clerk’s actions this parish council appears to have suffered heavily in a financial matter.
"This council had to borrow £30,000 last year to avoid going into the red and becoming bankrupt. This needed to be repaid in April so the precept was doubled for villagers in order to pay off this loan."
He told the villagers it was a "shock" that the council had to pay out £53,000 of debts this year and there was about £24,401 in expected cash income, which is "missing".
Mr Langford added: "A lot of people seem keen to blame councillors for this problem, including former councillors and the Norfolk Association of Local Councils (NALC) chairman, Tony Nash.
"It should be remembered that our clerk was professionally qualified and often quoted as the NALC’s top trainer in financial matters and had been involved in the training of many councils across Norfolk.
"Annual accounts appeared fully audited, albeit fictitious, and were approved by the external audit specialists.
"With so many positive agents not offering any challenge to the financial state of the council, it is little wonder that councillors were so easily hoodwinked on finance matters by the clerk."
Villagers also learned there was evidence of professional software being used to wipe clean a lot of information from the council’s computer.
This prevented an audit trail, according to Mr Langford, who added it will cost £500 for a new piece of equipment.
He also said that "many lessons can be learnt from the council’s experience".
The chairman added: "The main one must be to question the validity of allowing close family relationships to exist between the clerk and chair positions."
Boughen’s mother, Sybil Melton, was chairman of Snettisham Parish Council, while her daughter was the clerk. Mrs Melton stood down from her position last August.
She had "strongly defended" Boughen, 42, against any criticism regarding her "financial integrity", Mr Langford said.
The former clerk, who held the same position in Ringstead, Marshland St James and Burnham Market parish councils, as well as treasurer for the Heacham and District Community Car Scheme, was jailed for 18 months last Thursday, at Norwich Crown Court.
She had stolen more than £60,000 from all four organisations: £11,803.83 from Ringstead, £5,033.60 from Heacham, £18,255.20 from Burnham Market and £8,020.73 from Snettisham.
A further charge of stealing £360 from the Snettisham Village Hall Memorial Hall and Playing Field Charity was ordered to lie on file.
At the end of the meeting, Mr Langford told the Lynn News: "We have to accept that we are an unfortunate victim in all of this."
The chairman said the council had put in a compensation order at the magistrates’ court for the council’s lost money.
"That is only £8,000 and we cannot hope for all of that. We have to face reality and get on with the job," he said.
A disgruntled villager added: "I’m just fed up with it all. I think the whole village is very disillusioned."
Another resident said: "The parish council does need to move on from the last lot of councillors. We knew something was going on but we couldn’t prove it."
Councillor Maria Fountain, a new member, said: "You cannot do anything about the past. You have to learn from it and look towards the future."
Since May, four people have joined Snettisham Parish Council.
During the public discussion a new financial protocol was discussed to allow the council to "move forward".
Councillor Peter Bradshaw told the other members: "Our administration is still in a considerable mess and needs time to get itself sorted."
It was also decided that an advert will be put out for a separate clerk and responsible financial officer this month, to be recruited in September.

Former parish clerk ordered to repay £9,553

Published on Saturday 1 October 2011 10:01
FORMER West Norfolk parish clerk Beverley Boughen has been ordered to repay just £9,553 of the £62,000 she stole.
Norwich Crown Court made the order yesterday against Boughen, 42, of Manor Road, Dersingham, who pleaded guilty to five offences of theft totalling £62,962.83.
Boughen was jailed for 18 months in June after stealing more than £60,000 from the four parish councils and one community car scheme for which she worked.
Ringstead Parish Council lost £11,803.83, Heacham community car scheme £5,033.60, Marshland PC £18,255.20, Burnham Market PC £19,849.47 and Snettisham PC £8,020.73.
Her trial had heard that £5,000 of the stolen money was spent on her daughter Jasmine’s wedding and more was spent on a VW Beetle for her husband "to do up".
Jailing her, Recorder Mark Dennis QC called it "a dreadful breach of trust".

30 June 2011-NORFOLK POLICE STATEMENT;

A trusted parish clerk who had worked with her local parish councils for a total of nearly 18 years is behind bars for stealing more than £60,000 of public and charitable funds.

Beverley Boughen, 41, from Station Road, Snettisham, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court today to 18 months in prison after admitting theft from a number of West Norfolk organisations.

Boughen was the Parish Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer for the four parish of Snettisham, Burnham Market, Ringstead and Marshland St James . She was also the Treasurer for the charities at Snettisham Village Memorial Hall and Heacham and Community Car Scheme. Additionally, Mrs Boughen had been employed as a trainer of other Parish Clerks.

Officers from King's Lynn CID were first alerted to concerns regarding Ringstead Parish Council in late June 2010 and Mrs Boughen was arrested on 5 July 2010. On 6 June 2011, Mrs Boughen pleaded guilty to the theft of £62,962.83 from the councils and charities over a number of years.

Speaking after the sentencing, Det Sgt Andy Ninham, said: "This case is the culmination of a lengthy and painstaking investigation by King’s Lynn CID. The fraud was carried out over a number of years and highlights the necessity for all organisations to be vigilant in ensuring their accounts are correctly scrutinised and properly audited, particularly where the management of public money is concerned." ENDS.