Due to media reports about his participation in a real estate company, Würzburg’s city treasurer Robert Scheller has come under criticism. In a city council meeting on Thursday, he had now commented on his business as an entrepreneur in Würzburg. The statement was preceded by an article in the Main-Post, in which the question was raised as to whether Scheller might have mixed private and official interests. As city treasurer, he buys and sells real estate on behalf of the city. Scheller’s company, founded in 2001, operates in the same industry and has the same business partners as the city. According to research by the Main-Post, some property purchases give the impression of a conflict of interests.
Compliance check is intended to examine possible conflicts of interest
Whether a compliance violation has occurred, i.e. whether the finance officer has drawn personal benefits for his company from his position with the city, is now to be checked at Scheller’s own request: “In the case of closed processes, such a compliance check is still possible and would can heal the previous omission. I want to arrange for such a thing, “said the chamberlain before the start of the city council meeting.
However, in the subsequent discussion with the city council members, Scheller emphasized that the vast majority of transactions would run independently of the city’s purchases and sales and would have no points of contact. In addition, most of the purchases or sales took place before his time as city treasurer, namely when he was still personal advisor to the then mayor (from 2002) or social officer (from 2005). Scheller has been financial officer since 2014.
A uniform procedure should ensure more transparency in the future
Still, some City Council members called for more consistency in situations like this. Because, as stated in his statement, Scheller acted differently in each of the six different transactions, to which the Main-Post also refers in part: he informed the members of the holiday committee by e-mail about one purchase, and Scheller informed them about another purchase Head of the real estate management department about his personal concern, and he informed the council of elders about a further purchase. “It’s not particularly systematic,” criticized Green City Councilor Karin Miethaner-Vent. “I expect the greatest possible transparency and a uniform approach.” Scheller replied that he had acted in accordance with the differentiated situation, because they differed greatly from one another and different approaches were appropriate.
City treasurer claims not to have used any advantages
The city treasurer recognizes the need for transparency, but wants to emphasize again that he “was never granted any advantages or granted any advantages”. He also did not use any knowledge advantage to acquire a plot of land. Robert Scheller had not had his company (founded in 2001) approved as a secondary activity, which is not legally necessary either. The lawyer “of course checked this legally”: His company is a private company for the administration of the family assets of its shareholders. “We are not active as brokers or developers,” but “private portfolio holders,” emphasized Scheller on Thursday.
Matter suggests “tastes”
SPD city councilor Alexander Kolbow said that the Main-Post article “suggested a taste” – Scheller’s statement, however, threw a different, differentiated light on the matter. “They tried to be transparent,” Kolbow said. He would like a compliance report in the future so that misunderstandings do not arise in the first place. Green City Councilor Silke Trost agreed and appealed to the finance officers to approach the employees in the building and deal openly with the issue – now that it is out there anyway – “because some people have to ask themselves the question again and again: May I accept the goat bag? Or is that corruption?” In addition to money, the city’s anti-corruption instructions include material assets under “benefits” that may not be accepted. Exceptions are “low-value gifts” up to a value of 20 euros.
Traceability is particularly important
ÖDP City Councilor Raimund Binder took the discussion as an opportunity to remind of the need for transparency in politics: “The core is – so this matter goes far beyond a speaker, a mayor, even a city council – it’s about trust the population.”
City has already enacted anti-corruption ordinance
In order to rule out suspicions from the outset, the city of Würzburg’s instructions for preventing corruption stipulate the following: “Any appearance that employees of the city of Würzburg could be susceptible to personal advantages in connection with the fulfillment of their tasks must therefore be effectively avoided.” Therefore, the superior or compliance officer should be informed about a possible collision of private interests with official duties. As an example of areas in the administration at risk of corruption, the service instructions specifically mention the “awarding of orders of all kinds”.
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