The organisation to lead an independent investigation into Liverpool Council requested by its own auditors will be confirmed next month.
Chris Walsh, the local authority’s deputy monitoring officer, said he would be in a position to confirm the identity of the chosen body who will look into dealings at the Cunard Building at the request of accountancy firm Grant Thornton. The auditors have said it cannot sign off on the council’s books for 2019/20 until an external investigation had taken place into practices behind closed doors.
Mr Walsh told Liverpool Council’s audit committee that an appointment would be confirmed on the week of 9th May. He said: “We were going through a process which has concluded this week.
READ MORE: Man, 20s, seriously injured as stolen car crashes into tree
“We’re going through the submissions we’ve had and we’ll be able to give an update by email the week beginning 9th May and confirm who has been appointed.” Mr Walsh said after receiving bids for the role there were “just a few matters to go through” before confirming the appointment.
During the committee’s last meeting in March, Grant Thornton partner Mark Stocks told members that the investigation would consider whether issues identified that led to arrests in 2020 impacted “a particular area in the council or whether the issues are more pervasive.”
Mr Stocks clashed with opposition leader, Cllr Richard Kemp, who said the council found itself in this situation “owing to the failure of Grant Thornton to enquire on a range of issues raised in committee, in the press and in general over the last five years.” Mr Stocks said that the review would look at “matters that happened” - referring to incidents that led to the arrest of council members and officers almost two years ago, as well as “what may have happened in other areas of the council.”
The council’s value for money conclusions are also on hold until the review is completed, he said. Cllr Kemp, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said all parties needed to “shift themselves as this is becoming quite unacceptable.”
Any costs of the investigation “lie with the council” according to Mr Stocks two months ago. It is not yet known how long the independent review will take.
