Rule-breaking spending by academies on antique furniture, booze and staff gift cards have been revealed after a government investigation publishing blitz saw it bring to an end academy controversies stretching back 14 years. The investigation reports for five trusts at the centre of Department for Education probes were published yesterday. All five investigations were into historic allegations centring on things like improper recruitment, purchases and contracts. However a recent academy scandal transparency rowback also means all the reports are now investigation ‘outcomes’ – containing far fewer details of wrongdoing than previous reports did. They also do not name those involved. DfE has committed to publishing these reports within two months of completion – but the last of the reviews was completed last summer. 拢2.5k on antique furniture, soft furnishings and art ESFA into allegations relating to 鈥済overnance and financial oversight鈥, related-party transactions [RPTs], consultant costs and 鈥渟uspected financial malpractice鈥 at the 12-school Griffin Schools Trust five years ago. Investigators 鈥渋dentified related-party transactions involving the provision of consultancy services and conflicts of interest which had not been managed appropriately鈥. Contracts involving the related party ran from 2014 to 2021, with the trust spending just under 拢570,000 in all. More than 拢435,000 was spent over the same period to a related party organisation 鈥渋nvolving a property lease/licence鈥, which 鈥渓acked sufficient documentation and robust scrutiny to demonstrate value for money鈥. Meanwhile, 鈥渘ovel and contentious鈥 payments totalling almost 拢2,500 were made for 鈥渁ntique furniture, soft furnishings, ornaments and artwork鈥 in 2018-19. A Griffin spokesperson said 鈥渃orrective action has been taken鈥. DfE has 鈥渃onfirmed that the Trust is now fully compliant鈥, with the 鈥渁pproved, comprehensive action plan鈥 successfully completed鈥. 拢26k on staff gift cards At the Stephenson (MK) Trust, allegations centring on alcohol spend, staff end-of-term and Christmas events and 鈥済ift cards for staff attendance鈥 between 2016 and 2022 were substantiated. The payments were 鈥渋n contravention of the academy trust handbook鈥. Almost 拢28,000 of spend was identified as 鈥渋rregular鈥, with 拢25,700 going towards the gift cards. The says the trust, which has three schools in Milton Keynes, 鈥渉as taken action to ensure alcohol is no longer purchased and have ceased the practice of awarding staff with gift cards for their attendance鈥. There have also 鈥渂een changes in senior leadership鈥 since the investigation started in 2023. iPhone sale cash ‘misplaced’ A was launched into allegations from between 2018 and 2020 surrounding an 鈥渋mproper recruitment process鈥 for one member of staff and the handling of 鈥渞esources for personal gain鈥 at Tennyson Learning Community Trust. The investigation 鈥 which concluded last summer 鈥 found an interviewer for a vacant post at the MAT 鈥減rovided a reference鈥 for the successful applicant during the employment process. The qualifications for the position also 鈥渁ppeared to be lower than expected for the role and level of remuneration鈥, according to officials, while the person鈥檚 salary also rose 鈥渟ignificantly since they were hired鈥. The report also noted that 拢900 generated from the sale of 鈥渢hree obsolete iPhones鈥 to staff in 2019 鈥渨as misplaced鈥 for three years. However, a claim 鈥渢hat certain items were bought solely for personal use鈥 were not substantiated. A Tennyson spokesperson said the 鈥渢rust was in its infancy鈥 at that point, having 鈥渏ust formed in June 2019鈥. Since then, 鈥渟ignificant changes have been made to the leadership, governance and structure鈥 of the MAT. 鈥淲e have thoroughly examined these historic discrepancies and swiftly resolved the two issues outlined in the report,鈥 they added. Pre-academy allegations probed Additional payments, which became pensionable, were made to a senior staff member between 2011 and 2015 by Lampton School Academy Trust, another report found. The , opened in 2022, concluded there was 鈥渋nsufficient evidence that the interests of the trust were at the forefront of [its] decision-making process鈥 in relation to this. This resulted in it signing up to an 鈥渁dditional financial commitment that may not have been necessary鈥, but the probe could not say if 鈥渢here was a quantifiable financial loss to the trust鈥. But allegations concerning 鈥渁lleged signature forgery on a document occurred prior to academisation鈥, with the government 鈥渦nable to draw conclusions on this issue鈥. DfE noted the trust 鈥渉as changed its structure in relation to oversight, leadership and management since the time of the concerns鈥, with the issues flagged through the MAT鈥檚 鈥渙wn internal scrutiny processes and reported to the ESFA鈥. Lampton 鈥渇ully co-operated鈥 with the review, which 鈥渋dentified no further actions for the trust to make in relation to these matters鈥. Inaccurate accounting records An could not substantiate 鈥渃oncerns around the use of pupil premium and sports premium to pay an unrelated debt鈥. But it found 鈥渢he accounting treatment of a property did not comply with the academies accounts direction and charities standard of recommended practice鈥 due to 鈥渕isclassification鈥. The trust also 鈥渇ailed to keep full and accurate accounting records in respect of payments for services provided by a related party鈥. DfE noted that when it received the concerns, the ESFA and regions group 鈥渨ere continuing with intervention鈥 at Langdale. It had its funding agreement terminated last year and was dissolved that summer.