Last updated at 06:41, Friday, 05 February 2010

MARYPORT Town Council could face financial penalties after an internal audit revealed glaring errors in its administration.

Most serious is that the town clerk has been illegally employed for over two years as her contract was not signed and her job description failed to match the work expected of her.

The council has also been told that it is significantly under spending and that its balances, of over £240,000, are much too large.

It has also failed to meet several legal requirements including updating its standing orders and keeping accounts on computer.

Internal auditor Jean Aireys warned that the council will face penalties if these matters are not cleared up before an external audit in April.

Finance chairman Mary-Claire Telford has called on councillors to stop laying blame and start working to resolve the situation.

She said many of the problems stemmed from new legislation in 2007.

She said: “We can’t and will not point a finger at individuals or groups. We had been doing things the same way and I think everyone failed to get to grips with the new legislation“We have to work together to be completely transparent and get to grips with this.”

She said most urgent was the position of town clerk Lisa Douglas, and then how balances can be best spent in the interests of the people of Maryport and Flimby.

Mrs Douglas began work in November 2007 but her employment contract is yet to be signed, and mayor Peter Cross has refused to sign it because the job description does not match her job.

Coun Telford, who has led the finance committee since May, said she became aware of the situation when she was mayor in 2008-9 and organised a job evaluation, in consultation with Cumbria Association of Local Councils, last year. This is continuing.

She said Mrs Douglas’s job description was that of a secretary, but she was being asked to carry out the work of a finance officer as well.

“It is absolutely urgent to get this matter resolved before anything else,” she said.

She said that with the changes in administration that will need to take place, she was concerned that they were putting too much pressure on one person.

She added: “If necessary I think we are going to have to get someone in to help - even if it is only someone to do the typing - until we can get this matter resolved.”

Mrs Douglas said she was concerned that errors could be made because, at three hours a day, she did not have the time or support to do all the work required under new legislation.

The finance committee on Monday formed a task group, comprising the mayor, finance chairman, deputy mayor Bill Pegram and Coun Carol Tindall, which will have the power to call on any legal or financial advice to address the council’s failings.

First published at 19:28, Thursday, 04 February 2010
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk