How foolish can a Council be?

I've recently been doing a lot of work for M----- Council legal services. It's pretty hilarious stuff actually, I mostly have to sort out their incompetence with a carefully patient and neutral expression. Here is a great example:

A month ago some guy wrote to the finance division saying "I'm Mr Smith, director of 'Civil Engineering Ltd'. We recently completed the project in H--- on the road system there. As per the contract we would now appreciate the money you owe us. Please find an invoice attached."













(Disclaimer: None of these people are me. None of them work for M---- either. I'm ashamed really, to be assoiciated with these guys would be the highest honour.)

The invoice requested £66,000, and gave bank details for payment.

Somebody in the finance department duly instructed M---- Council's bank to pay out 66k to this guy's account. This person in finance hadn't bothered to check whether or not 'Mr Smith' or his company really had done anything at all. He hadn't. How sweet is that? What a smart dude! Still, he got caught in the end and hauled before the courts. The next part is the best part:

Who says crime doesn't pay? He got sentenced to 160 hours community service! He never had to pay back the money as he'd already spent it.

66k for 160 hours work! I'm in the wrong job...