City council finances in disarray – again

SO again, Nottingham City Council is in the headlines of our regional newspaper, this time crediting the wrong account with money related to housing but placed in general account. Not a million or two, but £15.8 million to be precise.

Yet again David Mellen claims he knew nothing about it, so is it any wonder that Nottingham City Council goes from one calamity to another, along with the same message: we are “sorry” and we will investigate.

One must ask whether if it is time for extraordinary measures to be implemented by the Government before the council taxpayers of Nottingham have more calamities which they can ill afford, especially with the impending increases in all our basic needs from fuel to food.

One has to ask whether so-called internal or in-house investigations have any credibility and that possibly the council taxpayers need an investigation by a police force outside of the county to see if any laws were broken?

With the city council supposedly £1 billion in debt, one has to ask whether some councillors need to have their responsibilities or their portfolio removed or reduced as it obvious with previous issues, such as the Robin Hood Energy demise, that some have little or no experience with management and finance, to the point it throws more good taxpayers’ money after bad, which only compounds the problem.

The so-called estimated debt of £38 million? How many things could have been done with that money, such as contributing to the thousands suffering hardship. With considerable numbers already relying on foodbanks, how many will be relying on them in the near future, as the Arnold Trussell Foodbank is already expecting more, as the increases in fuel and food costs bite in the coming weeks.

How many households are spending more than they can afford this Christmas to appease their children or family?

Tony Morris

Carlton