Liberal Democrats react to delusional interpretation of damning report by District Auditor

4.11.15pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 20th May 2008

Liberal Democrats today responded to the examination of the damning report by the District Auditor over the recruitment process for the chief executive post at the county council, branding the Conservative Administration's claim that it only contained "a few minor procedural matters" as bordering on delusional.

The report was complied by the District Auditor after opposition groups wrote to him expressing concerns about the process, especially on the setting of the salary. It also emerged in today's committee that the Auditor had already begun his own investigation when he received the opposition letters.

The report concluded that the Conservative administration "cannot demonstrate that value for money was given sufficient consideration" (paragraph 25). Further, that "there was no consideration of a clear business case based on an assessment of the Council's circumstances and needs" (paragraph 31) and that the decision to increase the salary range was "potentially unlawful" (Paragraph 32).

The report highlighted that key information was not given to the majority of the Staff Appointments Committee and that this led to the Conservative members of the committee increasing the salary level based on inadequate information.

Leader of the County's Libdems, Cllr Kathy Pollard said, "The Conservative Administration can try and put it's spin on today's meeting all it likes. The notion that this report and today's meeting somehow exonerated them however is laughable to the point of being delusional.

The Auditor's report clearly showed several, very serious examples of where the Administration departed from the council's recruitment policies and procedures. The Administration cannot show that value for money was given sufficient consideration, which is simply unacceptable.

Not all the available information was given to those of us on the appointment committee, as we've been saying all along, this is just typical of the secretive nature of this Tory administration."