Calls for an independent review into how Teignmouth Town Council is managed were overturned at a recent extraordinary council meeting.
A motion put forward by town councillors David Cox, Penny Lloyd, Mike Jackman, Vanda Rudge and Daniel Comer proposed that ‘a suitably qualified consultant’ should be appointed to look at the governance of Teignmouth Town Council. The motion also demanded that ‘a suitably qualified accountant’ should be appointed to look at the town council’s finances.
Councillor Cox explained that Teignmouth charges a high precept and the townspeople deserve to know where their money is being spent.
Furthermore, he added, there are real concerns about governance. On three occasions, articles have not been added to meeting agendas, he claimed.
‘It’s not about accusing anyone of doing anything wrong,’ added councillor Lloyd. ‘But the public needs reassuring.’
However, Teignmouth mayor Cate Williams pointed out that the town council’s standing orders – the written rules that govern councils - are based on model documents and were most recently reviewed in 2023.
‘We are absolutely prudent in every way possible,’ Cate asserted.
The council’s finances are subject to multiple reviews, she pointed out.
Since 2022, the council has used an independent RFO (Responsible Finance Officer) from the Local Government Resource Centre (LGRC). The council’s finances are audited internally by qualified accountancy and auditing solutions company who work specifically with councils. The finances are also audited externally by one of the largest accountancy firms in the country, PKF.
‘Why do we need someone else?’ Cate questioned.
The cost of appointing a consultant to review governance and finance could cost around £2,500 per week, added Teignmouth town clerk Iain Wedlake. However, councillor Cox argued that ‘a philanthropist had offered to pay for the reviews’.
To help reassure the public about finances, the Teignmouth Town Council ‘is about to release documents showing where money is spent’, Cate reassured.