Size Of Auditors’ Bill Unclear
The Town Hall
Councillors are in the dark over the expected size of the bill from Cornwall’s auditors, for their report into the suspension of the school head teacher.
Last week, Radio Scilly news formally asked Town Hall management how much has been incurred in legal and other costs and who is picking up the bill.
It’s unclear whether the Council or the school will meet the costs of the lengthy audit, although the Council engaged the mainland investigators in the first place.
We sent these questions to the officer handling the auditors’ report for the Council, Director of Finance Peter Lawrence-Roberts.
Press Officer George Pearson has confirmed that Peter received our questions last week but the Council has chosen not to respond.
Council chairman Mike Hicks has also failed to reply but vice-chairman Amanda Martin did get back to us. Amanda said that the information has not yet been shared with Councillors, so there is nothing she can share with the ratepayer.
I seem to recall a statement or interview with
Peter Lawrence-Roberts in which he stated that
the cost of the Audit would not impact on the finances
of the school.
This seems reasonable, given that the Audit was
instigated by Council Officers.
However, if the Audit was not carried out in a totally
Professional manner, presumably, there would not
be any bill to pay, anyway.
Hygate…..payoffs…..? That rings a bell!
That’s easy to work out.
The bill should be NIL. Obviously flawed otherwise it would have been released.
If there is a bill the it should be paid out of Hygate’s pay off or take it out of his pension fund – he instigated the audit he can pay for it.
Agreed!