The Assembly Member for Aberconwy has expressed serious concerns at the response of Conwy County Borough Council to the report by the Wales Audit Office regarding the coastal defence works undertaken at Llandudno North Shore in 2014.
The report is due to be considered by the Audit and Governance Committee at their meeting on Monday 28th November.
The Draft Action Plan issued to Committee members in response to the report suggests that they refuse to accept two of the nine recommendations.
Recommendations suggested for refusal include that the council should obtain formal valuations for large projects, and that contract monitoring is put in place so that contract ends can be anticipated and planned for, as opposed to emergency extensions taken forward outside of the normal democratic scrutiny processes.
Janet Finch-Saunders AM said: “The draft response from the council is damning and frankly shocking. Robust audit procedures, democratic accountability and financial probity are fundamental requirements of any local authority.
“The response to the Assistant Auditor General is disappointing to say the least, especially given the immense number of people who have previously spoken out against the decision that saw over 50,000 tonnes of quarry rock dumped on our beach, and who to this day remain angry.
“This is a blatant disregard for sensible recommendations following an in-depth investigation by the Wales Audit Office.”
Local campaigner, Ian Turner, said: “I am personally appalled at the way the Council as a public body have handled this whole issue.
"They haven’t been open and honest about how the destruction of our beach came about, and the lack of openness and transparency has been appalling: their silence on this issue is deafening.”
Mr Gary Willetts, who first raised this matter with the Wales Audit Office 'as a concerned tax payer' , and to whom the report was sent, said:
“It has taken two years to investigate and report on the financial shambles of Conwy CBC in failing with the award of contracts and making payments to the Contractor. The Appointed Auditor has made nine clear recommendations all of which Conwy CBC are attempting to hide in what they claim as “ emergency measures”.
“It also concerning that Conwy CBC appear to set out that it is not necessary to have in place qualified staff who can determine the amount properly due to Contractors, who appear not to consider payments from Council and General Tax Payments funds a matter of importance.
“The failings of Conwy CBC have cost the Council and General tax Payer a some of £68,000.00 which was quite un-necessary and arose due to failings in process and procedures.
“Finally the Internal Audit Report recommendation R9 was seriously failing in its compensation and failed to address the issues highlighted by the Appointed Auditor.
“This is all part of the systematic failing of the management of Conwy CBC which requires a complete overall after the May 2017 election.”
ENDS
Notes:
The Audit and Governance Committee will meet at 10:00am on Monday 28th November 2016, in the Council Chamber, Bodlondeb, Conwy, LL32 8DU
Anthony Barrett is the Assistant Auditor General – Financial Audit at the Wales Audit Office
Photos: Llandudno North Shore Beach, L-R Mr Garry Burchett, Janet Finch-Saunders AM, Mr Ian Turner, Cllr Frank Bradfield, Cllr Francis Davies, Kay Swinburne MEP
Disclaimer: Quotes from constituents and third parties do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Assembly Member or the official policies of the Welsh Conservative Party