Last updated 14:35, Friday, 01 August 2008

A COUNCILLOR has blasted Copeland Borough Council for its handling of its financial affairs.

By Sam Walker

The council has had on-going problems signing off last year’s accounts, which were due at the end of the financial year, three months ago.

Earlier this month it recruited top accountants to sort out the mess, at an estimated cost of £1,500 a day.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Cllr Moore said: “We need to get the 2006-2007 accounts signed off.

“We need to know how it’s gone on so long.

“The adjudicator says there is a lot of work to be done, I suspect they will be here for months.

“The cost to this council could be frightening and it is important to keep the information in the public.”

The council had planned to set an August deadline to sign off the accounts, in time for its next meeting on September 9, in Whitehaven.

But following a vote at Tuesday’s meeting this has now been changed to an unspecified date following an inquiry.

An inquiry into how the situation occurred was launched earlier this year.

The inquiry aims to find out:

1. How the situation that accounts are so late has arisen, and how this can be avoided in future.

2. What will be the total cost of putting this right; how this will affect the council’s overall financial situation and whether there will be an impact on services.

3. Whether all the published reports from officers to the Executive and Audit committee about the accounts

in the past six months have been fully accurate, and if not, why not.

On completion the accounts will be submitted to the appropriate committee.

It is unclear whether this will bring the deadline forward or delay it further.

Twenty-two councillors voted for the change in deadline and 16 voted against.

After the meeting a spokesman for Copeland Borough Council said: “At its full council meeting on Tuesday, July 29, Copeland councillors agreed that a report should be submitted to the appropriate council committee on the financial situation, as soon as it is ready.”