I am still waiting for a response from Andy Sawford, the Labour candidate in the Corby byelection to the 10 questions I asked him on September 18. I suppose the delay is merely due to him giving careful thought to his answers.
However there is now another matter for Mr Sawford to address. It is being reported that for the second year in a row the District Auditor has refused to sign off the Labour run Corby Borough Council’s annual accounts.
In his Annual Governance Report, Neil Bellamy says:
I am unable to issue a conclusion as to whether the Council has made proper arrangements to secure economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources.
Is Mr Sawford any more confident of the Labour-run council than Mr Bellamy?
It certainly doesn't seem that Mr Sawford has any enthusiasm for defending the council over these matters. Odd since he is presumably happy enough for Labour councillors to go out on the stump with him.
Conservative Group Leader on Corby Council, Cllr David Sims, said:
“The Labour run Council has been warned by the Conservatives and the Audit Commission of their financial duty and responsibility to the people of Corby but yet again they have failed to demonstrate transparency and value for money.
“Leader of the Labour Council, Tom Beattie, needs to apologise to the people of Corby for their inept and arrogant financial mismanagement; and come clean on how Labour has allowed this mismanagement of local taxpayers’ money to continue for another year.”
Conservative Party Candidate, Christine Emmett said:
“This is yet another example of Labour’s complete disrespect for local taxpayers’ money.
“For the second year in a row the District Auditor has given a damning verdict on Labour run Corby Council’s use of local taxpayers’ money and their complete lack of any effort to achieve value for money. This comes on the back of a number of ongoing Audit Commission investigations into the spending and conduct of Labour run Corby Council.
“Andy Sawford needs to stand up to the Labour leadership of Corby Council and demand value for money for the people of Corby.”