Councillor lied when he claimed he hadn’t asked for a £10k payment from a woman he conned

Martin Shipton

A councillor who has been accused of charging multiple customers tens of thousands of pounds for building work he did not carry out lied to Nation.Cymru when he claimed that money was paid by one of his victims to his business partner rather than to his company, we have established.

Last month Nation.Cymru reported how customers of Garw Valley community councillor Neal Scorer believe he should be in jail because of his dishonest behaviour over a period of more than a decade.

Complaints have been made to the police and trading standards about Cllr Scorer, but both have refused to launch criminal investigations, claiming that the customers’ grievances amount to no more than civil disputes.

An informal support group for Cllr Scorer’s victims has been trying to secure justice, so far without success.

In last month’s article we told the stories of three victims who had each lost tens of thousands of pounds after paying Cllr Scorer upfront for work that was never done. One of the victims, Joanna Davis, a nurse, is still paying off a loan at the rate of £800 per month she had taken out for building work that was never done.

She told us: “Back in 2018 I purchased my Nan’s lifelong home after she passed away. We lived there for a few years but decided it needed modernising and some extensive renovation. In 2020 we looked local for some reputable builders. Initially I contacted Drew Joyce who I knew and was local. However in that same week, Drew featured on an episode of Rogue Traders. Needless to say I abandoned that idea and looked for more companies. APMS [Scorer’s company] came up. I could see some good reviews so I gave them a call.

“Neal came out with Jamie Davies the next day. When we told them the work that we were looking for they seemed very keen, but also they spoke quite competently and confidently about how they would achieve our goals. We had no reason to doubt anything. We sent over plans, he sent us a quote. We agreed and signed – over the course of a few weeks – and after deposit payment was made, work commenced quickly!

“They went in VERY quickly and pretty much knocked down walls and demolished a lot, making it look like progress was being made. Bear in mind this was during Covid, so messages and calls began very early on then regarding the need to secure materials, payment plans needed to be changed. I was busy working on the wards but also found myself in a situation where my marriage was crumbling.

“I was desperate to do anything to make my home habitable because we were all living at my then husband’s sister’s. Jamie was the main man who was communicating the most with me. More money was sent (naively) as pressure was made on me. Then work stopped, communication stopped and I panicked.

“I contacted Neal on several occasions and he would reply inconsistently. But he reassured me when he did that he would ensure he completes my home. He made a call to me requesting a further £10,000 because without this he wouldn’t be able to fund what he needed to do. And again I naively paid it. And then again communication stopped. It was then that he met with me and my dad and disclosed that Jamie had stolen all my money but said he was going to try his best to sort it all out. I never saw him again after that.

“He was meant to build a double extension at the back of the property and completely gut and renovate the whole house internally. All he did was knock down the old extension, put a few new doors in and poorly plastered a few walls. I paid him a total of £64,000.

“I initially hounded Neal and begged him to do what I paid him for, and asked him to refund me money. But he either ignored me or continued to tell me that he had been stolen from and he was trying to find a solution and that he would be in touch.

“I contacted Citizens’ Advice, trading standards, the police, a solicitor, and the MP. I desperately pleaded with anyone who would listen to help me. But no one would. I was continuously told that it was a ‘civil’ matter because Neal had completed ‘some work’. That completely destroyed me because my husband had left. I moved into my parents’ home with my two children.I’d lost my home, all that money, my whole life. But worse than that, all those people I sought help from just closed the door in my face. And since then I have absolutely no faith in anyone.”

Excuses

Cllr Scorer responded with a lengthy statement, offering excuses for why he had not done the work he had been paid for.

In response to Ms Davis’s statement, Cllr Scorer said: “This was in the days when I had a business partner who caused issues with customers without my knowledge. Yes, we were asked to price the job which we did.

“We did not get the job initially but then we were contacted and asked if we were still able to do it. We agreed.

“The job was to renovate the house and build a rear extension.

“Mrs Davis wanted us to build the extension on top of the existing retaining wall. I made it clear that we could not build on top of a garden retaining wall.

“We gave a price and stated on the contract that all building jobs had to comply with building control and engineers’ reports AND that as this rear wall situation and drainage could be an issue we could NOT price the job exactly until we had building control approval and that any further costs for works required by building control would have to be agreed before we went ahead with the extension.

“Basically, we could not price the extension accurately until we had excavated the ground and had the retaining wall inspected. It may have required a new retaining wall costing several thousand pounds.

“Jamie did indeed run this job. I had very little to do with it. I did not request more money, Jamie may have.

“Ordinarily we would have built the extension first, but Mrs Davis was pushing us to start the renovation work first and building control were not visiting sites during Covid.

“The renovation works were 90% complete. I was aware that Jamie said there was a problem with damp and that Mrs Davis had agreed to pay extra on the renovation work.

“I did not at any time ask Mrs Davis for £10,000 or indeed any money at all. Jamie may have?

“When Jamie (my former partner) left, I was then left with the jobs to finish etc. I visited Mrs Davis and could see that the renovation work was almost complete. I did visit the job; my carpenter was there working on the staircase.

“I explained the Jamie situation and assured her I would complete the project, but I needed some time to sort things out.

“The extension had not been started which surprised me as it would normally be done first as materials etc would have to be carried away through the house. She said she asked Jamie to get started.

“I went to see her as soon as Jamie had left. I met her, her father was there. She told me about her husband etc and then said she had paid Jamie all the money and she had none left.

“She said she had paid Jamie, not me £64,000 which I questioned. “She said the job was paid in full but her father said that was not correct, the contract price was £88,000 to which she said, ‘oh yes correct but she had no money left!!’

“I found the contract and it was indeed £88,000 with the condition listed on it that it could increase substantially depending on what building control and engineers required regarding the retaining wall.

“She made it clear and agreed the job price at £88,000 with conditions, not £66,000.

“ I said I would try and get to the bottom of this and asked again why she had paid him so much. She insisted again that she had no more money, not enough to even pay £88,000. “I said I could not complete the project if she could not pay for it.

“Her husband then stopped at the chapel we were working on and gave me foul abuse, saying Jamie this and Jamie that. He wanted £64,000 from me. On another day he came to my unit and threatened me.”

Documentation

Nation.Cymru has seen documentation that contradicts Cllr Scorer’s claim that he had not received money from Ms Davis.

A series of text exchanges between Cllr Scorer and Ms Davis took place as follows on February 12 and 13 2021:

Neal Scorer: Hi, sorry to beg. Can you get that payment over to me today as agreed. It would be very much appreciated. Neal.

Joanna Davis: Is there any way you could send me a revised invoice for that please and the one Jamie sent for £8,000.

Neal Scorer: OK sending now 10,000 as discussed ok?

Joanna Davis: Yes. That is fine. As long as it comes off the remaining balance. Obviously I have already paid a large sum of money and the extension work and roof hasn’t commenced yet. Just need some reassurance.

Neal Scorer: Understand completely invoice with you in ten mins. Neal.

Neal Scorer: Invoice revised and on its way. Neal.

Neal Scorer: Invoice sent can you confirm you received it by text please. Neal.

Joanna Davis: Yes received thank you.

Neal Scorer: Thank you. N.

Joanna Davis: Payment has been made. Apologies I forgot to let you know. This will be deducted accordingly now won’t it? Thanks. Joanna.

Neal Scorer: All recorded for you on final account. Neal.

Joanna Davis: Thank you.

Neal Scorer: No problem.

Bank transfer

The exchange shows that, contrary to his claim in the text exchange, Cllr Scorer made arrangements for the £10k payment to be paid to his company, not his business partner. We have seen evidence that Ms Davis sent £10,000 by bank transfer to APMS Builders Ltd, which Cllr Scorer owns and is the sole director of, on February 12 2026.

Accounts for Cllr Scorer’s company APMS Builders Ltd, based at Blaengarw in Bridgend county borough, should have been filed at Companies House by April 30 2025, but haven’t been. As a creditor of the company, Cllr Scorer has vetoed plans to wind up AMPS.

In March 2025 Cllr Scorer set up a new company called HTN Construction Ltd. No further documents relating to the firm had been lodged at Companies House until July 7 2026, when an application was filed to wind the company up compulsorily.