THURROCK MP Jackie Doyle-Price has fired a “shot across the bows” of Thurrock Council by reminding them of the powers the government have should they “fail to discharge their responsibilities effectively”.
In a debate in the House of Commons on accountancy, Ms Doyle-Price asked the Secretary of State for Local Government, Robert Neill “What steps his Department takes in the event of a local authority’s accounts being qualified?”
Mr Neill replied: “The qualification of a local authority’s financial accounts is a matter for the authority themselves and their auditors”.
YT asked the MP to explain why she asked the question.
Ms Doyle-Price said: “Under the localism agenda, the Government is determined to give powers back to local councils and local communities.
“However if this is to be successful, local councils will have to use these new found freedoms with responsibility. This is a challenging time for local authorities who are trying to implement the necessary cuts to public spending whilst seeking to maintain front-line services, and we need to be sure that in doing so they do manage their finances responsibly”.
The Secretary of State maintains reserve powers to intervene where councils fail to discharge all their responsibilities effectively. Although the intention is that these powers are used sparingly, I am using questions to Ministers to seek to identify those occasions when the Government would make an intervention.”
Maybe MP should be looking at the Tory Group
Under Conservative Control Accounts
Thurrock Accounts 09/10
Auditor Report
Qualified Conclusion
I have undertaken my audit in accordance with the Code of Audit Practice. In so doing, I identified the following:
•
the Council’s reserves of £2.2 million were significantly below the recommended minimum level of £7 million and the Council was still developing a medium term financial strategy to address the financial position;
•
the Council overspent against its budget for the year by £3.9 million, resulting in unplanned use of balances of this amount.
•
members of the Planning Committee did not always have a constructive working relationship with officers or adhere to the Council’s revised Constitution to demonstrate good governance;
•
the Planning Committee made a planning decision during 2009/10 that was not in line with planning law, was against officer advice and subsequently had to be rescinded; and
the Council had not developed a strategic asset management plan and did not have a complete asset register in place to enable it to manage its assets
Having regard to the criteria for principal local authorities specified by the Audit Commission and published in May 2008 and updated in October 2009, I am satisfied that, in all significant respects, Thurrock Council made proper arrangements to secure economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources for the year ending 31 March 2010, except for:
planning finances effectively to deliver its strategic priorities and secure sound financial health;
promoting and demonstrating the principles and values of good governance; and
managing assets effectively to help deliver strategic priorities and service needs.