Police to look into accounts
WALES’ top public spending watchdog has asked South Wales Police to look into Porthcawl Town Council’s accounts.
Porthcawl Town Council said auditors “need to interview members and staff at the council to gain a complete view of certain events and decisions”.
WALES’ top public spending watchdog has asked South Wales Police to look into Porthcawl Town Council’s accounts.
Audit Wales, which is responsible for auditing public sector accounts in Wales, asked police to intervene as it has “concerns that could potentially fall outside of its remit to consider and bring to a conclusion”.
In a statement, Porthcawl Town Council said that the auditors “need to interview members and staff at the council to gain a complete view of certain events and decisions”.
It said that the auditors had been working on “an in-depth audit” of the council’s accounts for 2019/20.
It added that Audit Wales had asked South Wales Police “if it would be appropriate to progress to interviews” and the force “advised that they will now be taking this matter forward”.
It said: “Audit Wales and Porthcawl Town Council will assist South Wales Police fully with their enquiries.”
An Audit Wales spokesperson said: “We’ve been completing an audit of Porthcawl Town Council’s accounts. South Wales Police are currently investigating matters further and we will be assisting the police fully with their enquiries. We cannot comment any further whilst the investigation is under way.”
The full statement from the council read: “Audit Wales have been undertaking an in-depth audit of the Town Council’s accounts for 2019/2020. Audit Wales have now arrived at a position where they will need to interview members and staff of the council to gain a complete view of certain events and decisions. However, Audit Wales have some concerns which could potentially fall outside of their remit to consider and bring to a conclusion.”
A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: “We can confirm that an investigation is under way following a referral by Audit Wales. This investigation is in its infancy and it would therefore be inappropriate to comment.”