A TRADE union is considering paying for its own investigation into Bournemouth’s controversial outsourcing deal after a senior officer was escorted from the town hall.

Unison may ask the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) to study plans to transfer the council’s finance and human resources to private management.

The news comes after chief accountant Stephen Parker was suspended and led from Bournemouth Town Hall to applause from colleagues after emailing his concerns about the deal to councillors.

Mike Cracknell, regional officer for Unison, said staff were “very upset and very upset” about his treatment and they had signed a petition saying they were now scared to speak out.

He said the previous “section 151” officer Judith Martin – the officer charged with making sure the council acted legally – had last year been made redundant after raising concerns about the first part of the Mouchel deal.

He said: “It does make you wonder what’s going on here, particularly when there’s so much information in the financial papers about what’s happening to Mouchel.”

The firm was embroiled in controversy last week with the resignation of its chief executive after a £4 million accounting error, which consequently sent its share price tumbling.

It last year took over the council’s revenues, benefits, ICT, and facilities management departments.

Unison has questioned whether there will be a conflict of interest if Mouchel now takes over finance and is responsible for the accounts on its own work.

Mr Cracknell said: “I am speaking to our national office and I hope to know by today whether they intend to go through with the CIPFA report.”

Bournemouth council is holding an audit and governance meeting on Tuesday, October 25, to discuss the decision making behind the finance deal.

A spokesman for Bournemouth council said: “The council’s chief accountant has been suspended on full pay while the council undertakes an investigation.”