The town council has ordered a forensic audit to help clear up financial complications involving allegations of fraud.

Oakham Town Council agreed to the audit at a meeting on Wednesday (August 12), on the recommendation of the council clerk.

Calls for the audit followed allegations of payroll and invoice fraud made to the town mayor, Martin Brookes, by a former council member.

It was alleged that council staff had received duplicate salary payments, while another allegation involved a £10,000 overpayment to a contractor.

"It is a councillor's job to protect public money and take allegations of wrongdoing seriously," Cllr Brookes said, adding that he was speaking as an individual and not on behalf of Oakham Town Council.

"I do not believe the council took these allegations seriously at the time. However, since the appointment of our locum clerk, this attitude has changed, leading us to appoint a forensic auditor to review the accounts.

"Agreeing to this audit, in my opinion, was essential to avoid being guilty of a dereliction of our duty to safeguard public money. If nothing is found, all is well, though it leaves the question of why such serious allegations were made in the first place."

As Cllr Brookes explained, the matter was initially reported to Leicestershire Police, but in adherence to "correct process", the council was told it should handle the investigation internally first. If a crime is found, it should then be reported.

advertisement

Following Wedensday's meeting, an independent auditor will soon commence a seven-day preliminary review period, during which the council's accounts from the last three years will be scrutinised.

If discrepancies are found, a follow up contract will require approval to continue the audit.