Auditors state Wirral Council doesn’t provide value for money for 3rd year in a row!

Auditors state Wirral Council doesn’t provide value for money for 3rd year in a row!

Auditors state Wirral Council doesn’t provide value for money for 3rd year in a row!

                              

Chris Whittingham (Grant Thornton) 29th January 2018 Audit and Risk Management Committee (Wirral Council)
Chris Whittingham (Grant Thornton) 29th January 2018 Audit and Risk Management Committee (Wirral Council)

Wirral Council’s auditors Grant Thornton will be telling councilors on Wirral Council’s Audit and Risk Management Committee at a public meeting on Monday 23rd July that Wirral Council doesn’t provide value for money. Their concerns about Children’s Services are outlined in a report by Grant Thornton to be discussed by councillors.

The auditors also mention in their report the late publication of the draft Annual Governance Statement (as previously reported on this blog).

Grant Thornton also have concerns about the use of reserves and other one-off funding (such as selling land and buildings) to sort out shortfalls in the budget. In their report they state, “Whilst progress has been made in establishing a new Growth Company a significant proportion of the £61m budget gap in 2018/19 is being met through one-off use of reserves and expected asset sales. This approach cannot continue and more needs to be done to put the Council on a firm financial footing going forward. It is now critical that action is taken to deliver a sustainable and robust financial plan on which the Council can operate over the longer term. It is important that officers and members work together effectively to make this happen.”

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Author: John Brace

New media journalist from Birkenhead, England who writes about Wirral Council. Published and promoted by John Brace, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH. Printed by UK Webhosting Ltd t/a Tsohost, 113-114 Buckingham Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, England, SL1 4PF.

4 thoughts on “Auditors state Wirral Council doesn’t provide value for money for 3rd year in a row!”

  1. They don’t provide value for money! we have been saying this for years, we don’t need auditor’s who are probably on a big fee stating the obvious.

    1. The auditors only found that Wirral Council didn’t provide value for money in Children’s Services (based on the recent OFSTED letters).

      The rest of Wirral Council the auditors didn’t have concerns about (on the value for money front).

  2. So, Where does that leave the council, the councillors and the residents following this report.
    Our residents at a ratio of 15 to 1 against the Hoylake Golf Resort have severe reservations about our council borrowing £26m and then loaning it to a very flawed joint venture group. Spending £16.5m on a service road to serve the golf resort. Concerns are, that in the present climate of severe government cuts. This is not the time to be making these type of financial risks. The Hoylake Golf Resort Action Group, have now been joined by three other groups. We all say, stop the madness now. After all, we can not operate if the golf resort is put into the long grass. No pun intended.

    1. Hi Phil,

      Thanks for your comment. It leaves the Council and councillors having to do better!

      Wasn’t there talk at one stage about the national government introducing rules to stop this sort of lending by councils?

      Have you any idea if the money has been lent or does it depend on Wirral Council issuing planning permission for the Hoylake Golf Resort development?

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