Two years ago the Local Democracy reporter was reporting on Labour’s late accounts costing the Reading taxpayer over £1 million. The 2019/20 accounts have only just been signed off. This is 2 years late.
Councillor Rob White (Green Party, leader of the main opposition group on Reading Council) said: “Labour councillors failed the people of Reading back in 2016 with a complete lack of good accounting standards, financial controls and the hangover from that persists to this day costing Reading residents millions of pounds. These problems stem from cuts to the council’s finance team which Green councillors opposed.
“Who knows what the final cost will be now to the people of Reading? There will be additional fees from the external auditors and the additional cost of the council’s own officers trying to get this right. It’s only through their efforts that we might finally see accounts filed years late, and possibly not back on track for another two years.
“In the end the cost to Reading will likely be in the millions. At a time when we are being squeezed more than ever by the reckless mistakes of politicians this is extremely painful, and it’s not over yet.”