Audit finds ‘serious shortcomings’ in council
The report compiled by the Principal Local Government Auditor Joseph P McCarthy described what he discovered as “serious shortcomings.”
His findings are contained in an audit for the year 2003 which was recently circulated to councillors. Mr McCarthy’s report was completed last December.
Mr McCarthy referred in his report to serious shortcomings in the controls and procedures in relation to planning contributions made to the council.
In his report, Mr McCarthy stated: “A review of the accounting controls and procedures in relation to planning contributions requested by the relevant Director of Services and carried out by the Council’s Internal Auditor highlighted serious shortcomings, as well as significant errors and omissions in the records.”
Mr McCarthy said it was not possible to identify the full extent of omissions in the records without a full review of all the relevant records.
Mr McCarthy said he has impressed on management of the county council the importance of bringing controls in this significant income source up to a satisfactory level and in the shortest possible time.
In a written response to the points raised by the Principal Local Government Auditor, council management states significant progress has been made since the production of the Internal Audit Report referred to by Mr McCarthy.
Mr McCarthy’s audit also said the collection of commercial water charges by the council for 2003 had deteriorated. He said the collection of housing loans was also unsatisfactory.
“Management needs to give this collection very close attention,” said Mr McCarthy in his report.
In response to this, council management said housing loans reflected a particular historic problem but progress had been made in 2004 in this area.
But the council response said there was no easy fast fix to the arrears problem and the matter will take some years to clear.
Mr McCarthy also criticised the lack of enforcement of a Building Control Regulation whereby developers have to submit a commencement notice to the council.
This notice must be submitted not less than 14 days and not more than 28 days before the commencement of development work.
Mr McCarthy’s report states: “At audit it was noticed that there was a significant amount of non-compliance with this requirement and there appeared to be very little enforcement in this regard by the council. I have brought this matter and some relevant recommendations to the attention of the manager during the course of the audit.”
