Cash-strapped Causeway Coast and Glens Council votes to block audit of finances at closed meeting

The vote was taken during a special council meeting last week, while in committee – meaning the press and public were excluded.

This comes following protests at the council offices earlier this year demanding a forensic audit of the council’s finances.

A motion calling for such an audit to take place was passed by a majority vote at the council in February, but it was subsequently subject to a legal mechanism known as a ‘call-in’ designed to overturn that decision.

A group of six councillors signed the call-in within seven days of the original motion passing – the UUP’s Norman Hillis and Joan Baird; independent councillor William McCandless, the DUP’s George Duddy and Michelle Knight-McQuillan; and the PUP’s Russell Watton.

This meant legal opinion was needed on whether the call-in was upheld and the original motion overturned.

The News Letter understands the call-in was found to be invalid, but rather than the original motion being reinstated another vote was taken – this time with the council proceedings hidden from public view in committee.

Councillors voted, instead, to throw out the original motion.

This comes after sweeping cuts to services and events funding alongside the largest rates hike of any of Northern Ireland’s 11 councils – an increase of 7.65% – were made in February in an attempt to balance the books at the cash-strapped council.

There were protests outside the council offices in March as those in attendance waved placards and chanted their demands for a forensic audit.

Independent councillor William McCandless said he opposed the forensic audit because he believes it is not needed.

“If we look at all the bodies that have been through this – we think of Price Waterhouse Coopers, our own auditors who looked at it, the Northern Ireland Audit Office, the Department for Communities – how many people do we need?

“The two councillors who keep shouting about this have been advised that if they have information they should take it to the PSNI.”

Mr McCandless said a forensic audit of the council’s finances would represent a “waste of ratepayers’ money”.

Independent councillor Stephanie Quigley, who proposed the forensic audit in February, said: “I feel a full forensic audit is essential to rebuild openness, transparency and accountability within Causeway Coast and Glens for the public. We owe it to the ratepayer as is this is the public purse we are talking about.

“There’s a great deal of items being discussed in committee at this council and that raises questions about democratic accountability.”