Audit Commission's damning report

The Audit Commission have refused to sign off Brentwood Borough Council's accounts for 2008/9, saying that the Conservative administration have left them in too much of a mess. The council received the lowest grading - inadequate - in securing value for money.

The council failed to supply evidence to support:

• Income from council tax payers of £42m
• Goods purchased with grants totalling £359,000
• Income from business ratepayers of £27m
• A net worth on the balance sheet of £419.6m

Other comments were:

• The lowest rating for use of resources and value for money.
• Significant weaknesses in internal controls
• Audit of accounts not completed due to lack of sufficient evidence
• A complete overhaul of accounting procedures required

Cllr David Kendall, Lib Dem Group Leader, said:

"We have been highlighting for some time our concerns about the financial mismanagement of the council.

"They have to start taking responsibility for their actions and sort this mess out. The accounts were always signed off under the Liberal Democrat administration."