Citizen Editor: City council accounts saga is 'a shambles'
IT does seem inconceivable Gloucester City Council is facing an extra £55,000 in charges after getting in a mess with their accounts.
The mess goes back to June when the council should have filed their accounts with auditors. But amazingly, it took them six months to get their house in order.
If that situation happened in a private firm, the accounts department would be burning the midnight oil until those figures were finalised for submission.
Auditor KPMG has told the council they will now be charging them £139,000 plus VAT, taking the total cost of the audit for 2012/13 to £166,800.
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We agree with Councillor Jeremy Hilton – it is a shambles.
STARTING today, our reporter Dan Charles charts the story of Gloucester's Guildhall, which used to be the epicentre of politics in the city.
Unknown to most of us, the building dates back to the 1880s when it was built to house Gloucester City Council.
Council meetings were held there and election results were read from the balcony overlooking Eastgate Street.
Now, of course, it is the centre of the city's arts scene and a great venue at that. There are few venues where you can watch a film in comfort with a cup of tea or a drink.
CONEY Hill as an area has often been associated with negativity. So, it is great to see that Ofsted inspectors have heaped praise on Coney Hill Community Primary School.
They praise the school as "outstanding" in every possible area and a "beacon of excellence".
A great tribute to head teacher Rachel Wadley, her team, the pupils and the governors.
8 Comments
by SaintMichael
Friday, March 15 2013, 10:33PM
“didn't The Citizen have a story years ago about a J Hilton and a connection with alleged fraud?”
by honslknjklyt
Friday, March 15 2013, 7:34PM
“So it is us, the taxpayer who gets fined for the incompetence of somebody or other?
Why should that be? Why not the employees or whoever, lose their holiday pay, bonus pay, pension pot etc? Why should we have to pay for other people's mess?”
by SELINA30
Friday, March 15 2013, 2:05PM
“Perhaps the same auditors, if they specialise in accounts that are in a shambles, could look at the national accounts?”
by lordigaga
Friday, March 15 2013, 1:02PM
“and TIG is perfect, never any mistakes.”
by SandraPee
Friday, March 15 2013, 10:27AM
“Thanks geraint2010 . I see from the remarks on YouTube that it wasn't publicly funded after all, but the contractor, Ringway, paid the £800 cost and it's been a positive response with people reporting more potholes !
Still a brilliant piece of PR !”
by geraint2010
Friday, March 15 2013, 9:53AM
“Thanks Sandra LOL Here's the link:
http://tinyurl.com/cswhse4”
by SandraPee
Friday, March 15 2013, 9:28AM
“Bad ''housekeeping'' . Pity someone doesn't come up with a video to make light of it .........like Worcestershire Council 's £1K spent on a music video about their potholes ! If you want a laugh to start the day rather than tearing your hair out with despair watch the Worcestershire Highways music video to the tune of Frank Sinatra's My Way ! ( Daily Mail )”
by TimMessanger
Friday, March 15 2013, 8:53AM
“Doesn't the council use outside auditors to prepare the accounts anyway?”