This probe is welcome

Published: 19 March 2010

OVER the past few weeks I have been trying to get council leader Councillor Terry Stacy to investigate alleged irregularities at one of its building contractors. Cllr Stacy has asked Price Waterhouse Coopers, the internal auditor and largest accountancy firm in the world, to investigate. I am grateful to him for doing so.

Cllr Stacy and council officers are aware they have specifically to request a police investigation in order for police to act. They say the police were “consulted” over a  senior manager who was dismissed for “not complying with company procedures”, but the council has not so far disclosed its findings with regard to two other individuals. 

They  say that investigations by the council and by the contractor are sufficient to deal with the situations that have arisen. That remains to be seen. In the meantime, I welcome the fact that the council is taking steps to investigate and eagerly await the results.  

Oriel Hutchinson
Organising secretary, Islington Conservatives