NEWS STORY : Warrington Council Fails to Find an Auditor for its Accounts

STORY

Warrington Council has been unable to find an auditor to sign of its accounts, leading to the removal of a credit rating from Moody’s. The council has £1.8 billion of debt and is under questioning for its investment strategy, but the the Chief Executive of the Council, Steven Broomhead, rejected the crisis and said earlier this month:

“We haven’t been borrowing money to invest for a return. We’ve been borrowing money for regeneration. What the hell is wrong with that?”

Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has appointed an inspection team to investigate the council, with the department stating:

“The Secretary of State decided to commission this inspection to provide him with direct, independent assurance that the council is complying with its Best Value Duty. This duty requires councils to make sure they are continuously improving the way their functions are exercised, with regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness.”

The lead inspector is Paul Najsarek, who has held numerous senior positions at local councils, with the report expected to be submitted to the Secretary of State by the end of August 2024.