Published councillor allowances subject to 'forensic examination'

The local authority’s monitoring officer Susan Zeiss confirmed the process was launched after resident Philip Gatrell highlighted multiple concerns.

Councils are required by law to follow a series of regulations over the publication of a Scheme of Members’ Allowances for each financial year.

In one of two questions to BCP Council’s audit and governance committee last month, Mr Gatrell asked Ms Zeiss when “notified material discrepancies in certain members’ allowance payments will be corrected with timely republication online, together with any further adjustments”.

Ms Zeiss told the committee Mr Gatrell had sent a “significant number of emails in recent weeks raising numerous points, including both general matters of concern and specific allegations of inaccuracy”.

“In order to assess these detailed allegations it will be necessary to undertake a full reconciliation of each transaction of allowances paid to councillors since 1 April 2019,” said Ms Zeiss.

“This task will require the allocation of resources and it was not reasonably practicable to complete the work before this meeting.

“Mr Gatrell has been advised that a detailed response will not be available until the necessary work has been completed by officers to enable the council to respond as fully and accurately as possible.”

Liberal Democrat and audit and governance committee member Michael Cox said: “It is a specific point we should be getting absolutely spot on and we should be making every effort to get right because it is something that the general public, for whatever reason, are interested in and therefore I think we should be making every effort.”

Cllr Michael Cox

Cllr Cox said he accepted there could be a delay in resolving the situation given the accounts department’s involvement with the budge process, but added: “I do think this is an important issue that we should put at the top of our agenda to make sure we are issuing accurate statements.”

Audit and governance committee chair John Beesley said “everybody is aligned” with Cllr Cox’s stance.

He said the monitoring officer was doing her “very best to ensure that occurs”.

Ms Zeiss told Cllr Cox that the council had to ensure all the information covered by the regulations was correct and "to make sure all of those checks have been done".