‘Vindicated’ by damning report

ROYAL BOROUGH: Opposition councillors have revealed they feel ‘completely vindicated’ after an independent report was critical of the Royal Borough’s financial management, writes George Roberts.

Last week the Express reported that the Chartered Institute of Public Finance’s (CIPFA) 39-page final report identifies a ‘large range of issues’ with the Royal Borough’s finances that need addressing.

The document also states that many of the weaknesses first raised in a report in September have been addressed.

Reacting to the final document, leader of the local independents

Cllr Lynne Jones (OWRA, Old Windsor) said: “Everything that I’ve said about governance, everything that I’ve said about the budget, the formation of the budget, the lack of a medium-term financial plan, has been confirmed.

“Even down to the culture, the ability to allow challengers, everything was hidden, even when we said that it was not transparent, they were masking the problems.

“We were laughed at. There was no respect for the challenges we put forward.

“I feel completely vindicated. I wish it wasn’t true, I’d much rather be proved wrong because this is now going to impact the services in the borough for years to come.”

Cllr Simon Werner (Lib Dem, Pinkneys Green), leader of the Royal Borough Lib Dems, said: “The CIPFA report is a clear condemnation of how the Conservatives are running the borough.

“All the criticisms that myself and my fellow opposition councillors have made over the last few years have been confirmed by an independent audit.

“The financial failures have put us in a position where we are completely unprepared to deal with the disaster of COVID-19, with no money in the bank.

“This is a failing council. Conservative councillors who were involved in this failure should resign. They are still there in the cabinet – why?”

The report was set to be discussed by councillors last night (Thursday) at cabinet.

The council leader Cllr Andrew Johnson told the Express last week he would be giving his full statement about the report during the meeting.