Principal defends ‘wellbeing’ payment
School head says he was stressed and backs $550 outlay on getaway Princess ready for nursery
The principal of a primary school who pocketed a $550 “wellbeing”’ payment is defending his board, saying the auditors got it wrong and the spending was justified.
Manurewa West Primary principal David Wallis said he took issue with sections of the audit, saying there was nothing to hide — including the reason for the $550 one-off payment for a mini-break after a stressful final term. He also disputed funding over international travel, saying the taxpayer had not had to foot a cent for a trip to Asia.
“It’s a black mark and we’re a top school. We’re a very, very successful school and it doesn’t read well at all,” he said.
An Auditor-General’s report released on Monday named and shamed schools for their use of funds — including overseas travel, a $7000 staff party and gifts for principals including a ride-on mower and “wellbeing” payments.
Another school did not pass on $3700 collected specifically for Fiji flood victims.
Wallis said that in recent weeks he had spoken to the school-based auditors, the Office of the Auditor-General and the Ministry of Education ahead of yesterday’s damning report into the annual review of school financial statements.
He said Manurewa West Primary had lodged concerns with the school-based auditor and the process used.
“We are not in agreement with a couple of the comments,” said Wallis.
While the school was given an unqualified, acceptable audit there were spending issues that had ended up a black mark against the board.
It included the payment of Wallis’ home broadband and telephone bill and a wellbeing payment after a particularly stressful final term last year. There were also concerns about an international professional development trip to Fiji and Indonesia.
Wallis said the board had elected to reimburse his communication bill as they required him to be available at all hours of the day and night.
Wallis said the wellbeing payment was in gratitude for a term’s worth of extra paperwork after four staff had left administrative roles in quick succession.
He said he put in many extra hours to deal with the workload and probably saved the school many thousands of dollars, but it took a toll.
“By the end of the term I was pretty washed out and I was under a considerable amount of work stress. The board recognised this and offered a grant of $550 and told me to go and have a well-earned break.”
Wallis said the issues surrounding the international travel were more due to the wrong wording coupled with an uncorrected error by the auditors.
He said a trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur was professional development focusing
We are not in agreement with a couple of the comments. David Wallis, Manurewa West Primary principal
on Asian and Islamic culture.
While the auditors saw the second leg of the journey as a junket, Wallis said it was not funded by the taxpayer but a charitable trust, business interests and by staff.
He said the school took issue with payment details with the auditor which were not corrected ahead of the final report.
He said while he recognised there were some accounting grey areas, the school had not acted illegally. But they were happy to call in the New Zealand School Trustees Association for guidance for the payment of allowances.
The Ministry of Education’s deputy secretary sector enablement and support Katrina Casey said in all instances where the Office of the Auditor-General had flagged concerns the ministry would work closely with the schools to make sure they understand their responsibilities and make decisions accordingly.
Blockhouse Bay Intermediate refused to answer calls after yesterday’s review revealed a charitable donation raised for the victims of Cyclone Winston was used on the school and never given away. Princess Charlotte, the daughter of Britain's Prince William and wife Kate, is to start at a nursery school near the family home in west London early next year.
The 2-year-old, fourth in line to the British throne behind her father, whose official title is Duke of Cambridge, her elder brother George and grandfather Prince Charles, will attend the Willcocks Nursery School in Kensington.
“We are delighted that The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen the Willcocks Nursery School for Princess Charlotte,” the school said in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming Charlotte to our nursery in January.”
On its website the school, rated as outstanding by government inspectors, describes itself as traditional, saying it “strives to maintain its ethos for high standards, excellence and good manners”. Fees are £3050 ($5830) per term for mornings and £1800 for afternoons.
Unlike previous senior royals, Prince William attended nursery school.
As well as announcing news of Charlotte's new school, William and Kate released a new portrait photograph of their family which adorns their Christmas cards this year. Kate is pregnant, with the new royal baby due in April.
Charlotte has her mother’s dark hair and the same chubby cheeks as her brother.
But the latest portrait reveals Princess Charlotte bears the most striking resemblance to her greatgrandmother the Queen.
The photo shows Charlotte with the same bright smile as the monarch, 91, who is affectionately known as “GanGan” to her greatgrandchildren. The picture was taken at Kensington Palace.