Northumberland Audit Failings? Councillor Hill Cultivated ‘No Independence’ and allowed it to fester further

 1. Lack of Independence in Audit:

What it means is that the Audit Committee led by its Chairperson, Councillor Georgina Hill has allowed the committee to be influenced by the Tory administration and legitimise reports that are released to the media containing attacks on opposition parties and Councillors while sitting in the shadow of a committee who’s reputation should be built on honesty and integrity.


Who’s lack of independence is it?
In November 2019,Ernst Young told Mrs Lally the Chief Executive forced onto extended leave by the conservatives: “‘From the additional procedures undertaken we did not find evidence to support the allegations regarding a lack of independence and integrity of senior management, bullying, or the inappropriate use of funds for political purposes.’” so the conundrum is if it wasn’t the officers of the Council who was it?

2. Inability to follow the annual governance plan:
Each year the Audit Committee of Council must agree an annual governance statement. It instructs the Council and its Internal Audit Team on areas of weakness where they need to improve greatly and or inspect on a regular and ongoing basis.

Under Councillor Hill’s watch over the last three years the Plan, probably the most important document that should influence the total work ethic of the Council and direct resources to ensure compliance with the plan has been completely ignored by the political wing of the Council and its Audit Committee. Luckily for the leading opposition party, Labour, their old hands at this function abstained on agreeing plans they knew wouldn’t be delivered.

New Auditor
Following Ernst Young who are also the External Auditor for Newcastle City Council and North Tyneside Met. leaving NCC, Northumberland brought in Mazars another reputable organisation who know the size of the task ahead of them and have asked in simple terms that the Audit Committee change their ways to ensure probity in audit in future.

Why won’t it happen?
Well while Mazars were getting their feet under the table the Leader of Council Peter Jacksons team who expect and get outstanding loyalty from the former press secretary for Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, Councillor Georgina Hill, had the former Leader of the Tory group on South Cambridgeshire Council Peter Topping brought in as the new ‘Independent’ person on the Audit Committee to support the Chairperson.


How independent does that make the committee now?


Watch this space!




   

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