Audit spurs Dorset Council to strengthen contract and spending oversight

Concerns have been raised about how the council managed some of its contracts and spending, following a report from the South West Audit Partnership (SWAP). Members of the Audit and Governance Committee will review the report at their meeting on Monday 2 June.  

The report looked at whether the council’s operational processes for awarding contracts followed its Constitution (which sets out how the council operates) and the Scheme of Delegation (which outlines who can make decisions and approve spending).

The audit found several problems, some dating back to practices in the former County Council, including:

• Spending and contract decisions not always following the correct rules
• A lack of proper checks and transparency

In response, the council has already started making changes. These include:

• Reviewing who has the authority to approve spending
• Putting in place a stronger approval process for all projects, including better record keeping and clearer budgeting

Cllr Nick Ireland, Leader of Dorset Council, said:

"With my full support, SWAP was commissioned to carry out a comprehensive audit to examine past practices and assess the extent to which Dorset Council’s spending and contract awards historically complied with our internal rules and governance standards.

“The audit revealed a number of serious and longstanding weaknesses in our procurement and governance arrangements. These findings highlight systemic issues that have developed over time, and we take them extremely seriously.

“In response, we have developed a robust action plan and established a dedicated team to drive urgent improvements. Our focus is on strengthening governance, enhancing transparency, modernising systems and ensuring that public funds are managed with the highest standards of accountability.

“I welcome the committee’s scrutiny on this issue. We are fully committed to learning from the past and ensuring that such failures cannot be repeated."

You can read the full audit report on our website.