‘Damning’ audit into council’s accounts

STUART PIKE

ROSSENDALE council’s accounts for the 2014/15 year have finally been agreed, after a ‘damning’ external audit.

Auditors from accountancy firm Grant Thornton have reviewed budget statements first submitted in June 2015 - with the council’s net expenditure revised up from £2.8m up to £4.8m due to increased costs with the Empty Homes Scheme debacle, and a pension fund misstatement.

Their report sums up: “Our intention is to issue a qualified ‘adverse’ VfM (value for money) conclusion indicating that the council did not have adequate arrangements in place in 2014/15 to deliver economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of resources.”

The 2014/15 accounts were presented to the council’s Audit & Accounts committee on October 3.

Grant Thornton’s fee of £71,731 per audit plan is also set to rise to cover extra work they have been required to undertake on the Empty Homes programme.

Rossendale council bosses issued a public apology back in November 2015 after county council to take responsibility and consider her position following the most damning report ever issued by the external auditors on the affairs of Rossendale council.”

In their February 2018 update a council spokesman said: “The independent audit report was very clear that serious failings in the management of the project had taken place.

“Key staff involved on the project had overridden control mechanisms – these individuals have now left the council.

“Tightening our governance structures, improving our project and performance management frameworks and reviewing our internal financial procedures are all things we have done to ensure nothing like this can happen again.

“The cost of supporting these tenants and delivering on our original promises has been significant. These costs have been met through a reserve set aside to deal with the project and the council’s in year budget savings.” ●● Rossendale Borough Council offices and, inset, our front page from Nov 27 2015