Oakham Town Council 2014 - 2015 Accounts Objections Update Grant Thornton
As many will know I attempted to raise concerns about Oakham Town Councils
accounts at a meeting earlier this year and the Mayor would not permit this as
shown in the over video.
So I decided to raise my concerns with the external auditor Grant Thornton
and raise objections. The same will apply for a number of items which appear
so far in the 2015 -2016 accounts mainly the large watering payment made with no
contract in place or approval of full council.
Oakham Town Council continually ignores financial controls and regulations
and for pointing this out they kindly refer to me as the odiot and sometimes worse.
The position Oakham Town Council finds itself in now is the same as 2009 when
the external auditor back then produced a damning report. Nothing has been
learnt from that report. The Council paid Streets Accountants a large sum of wasted
money to point out the obvious. Since then the council has not implemented the
most obvious recommendation and agrees to stall that until next year. The
purchase of new accounts software, why?
Only last week I visited the councils office to find the person tasked with the
job of the councils accounts stressed because they were working on something
needed for a December meeting. It is time Oakham Town Council employed
a separate financial officer. I can only imagine how that person is going to suffer
if we don't when you consider the council is being asked to take on the running
of car parks and cemetery.
If the council had not delayed the purchase of new accounting software
the accounts preparation and presentation for meetings would be so much
easier. I am asked what is the reason for this refusal to implement what is
recommended. Seeing the person who currently has to do the accounts work
so stressed at doing all the current manual work I can not see any reason
why the software was not purchased and the accounts transferred over immediately
The accounts workload is actually far less than most small business.
The council delayed sending it accounts to Grant Thornton this year due to
mistakes being found at the last minute. So whatever the outcome of my objections
the will automatically receive a qualified audit due to late submission.
Dear Mr Brookes
The work in connection with the audit of Oakham Town Council’s Annual return 2015, and the work in connection with your Objection to those accounts has now been completed and is being quality assurance reviewed. I expect to let you have a draft of our findings in the next few weeks and finalise matters thereafter.
I cannot provide any more information at this stage but please be assured that every care has been taken to ensure the matters you raised have been dealt with appropriately.
Kind regards
Ged Small
Ged W Small | Manager | Audit
For Grant Thornton UK LLP
Royal Liver Building | Liverpool | L3 1PS
www.grant-thornton.co.uk
Grant Thornton
As many will know I attempted to raise concerns about Oakham Town Councils
accounts at a meeting earlier this year and the Mayor would not permit this as
shown in the over video.
So I decided to raise my concerns with the external auditor Grant Thornton
and raise objections. The same will apply for a number of items which appear
so far in the 2015 -2016 accounts mainly the large watering payment made with no
contract in place or approval of full council.
Oakham Town Council continually ignores financial controls and regulations
and for pointing this out they kindly refer to me as the odiot and sometimes worse.
The position Oakham Town Council finds itself in now is the same as 2009 when
the external auditor back then produced a damning report. Nothing has been
learnt from that report. The Council paid Streets Accountants a large sum of wasted
money to point out the obvious. Since then the council has not implemented the
most obvious recommendation and agrees to stall that until next year. The
purchase of new accounts software, why?
Only last week I visited the councils office to find the person tasked with the
job of the councils accounts stressed because they were working on something
needed for a December meeting. It is time Oakham Town Council employed
a separate financial officer. I can only imagine how that person is going to suffer
if we don't when you consider the council is being asked to take on the running
of car parks and cemetery.
If the council had not delayed the purchase of new accounting software
the accounts preparation and presentation for meetings would be so much
easier. I am asked what is the reason for this refusal to implement what is
recommended. Seeing the person who currently has to do the accounts work
so stressed at doing all the current manual work I can not see any reason
why the software was not purchased and the accounts transferred over immediately
The accounts workload is actually far less than most small business.
The council delayed sending it accounts to Grant Thornton this year due to
mistakes being found at the last minute. So whatever the outcome of my objections
the will automatically receive a qualified audit due to late submission.
Dear Mr Brookes
The work in connection with the audit of Oakham Town Council’s Annual return 2015, and the work in connection with your Objection to those accounts has now been completed and is being quality assurance reviewed. I expect to let you have a draft of our findings in the next few weeks and finalise matters thereafter.
I cannot provide any more information at this stage but please be assured that every care has been taken to ensure the matters you raised have been dealt with appropriately.
Kind regards
Ged Small
Ged W Small | Manager | Audit
For Grant Thornton UK LLP
Royal Liver Building | Liverpool | L3 1PS
www.grant-thornton.co.uk
Grant Thornton
