The town council has "lost control of everything" according to its chairman who responded to what he described as the "worst ever internal audit report" he had ever seen.

Cllr Martin Brookes' words came after a report into Oakham Town Council and how it manages its day-to-day running.

He said the council has been "badly run for years" and is "failing the residents of Oakham".

Published last week, the report from Leicestershire and Rutland Association of Local Councils said work was needed to improve "governance and accountability".

While auditor Stuart McDonald said he was "not directing criticism in any particular, or personal, direction", he found issues with the council's risk register, receipts of cash payments, payment of salaries, asset registers, bank account monitoring and data compliance.

He also pointed out the finance committee had not met for over a year.

He also recommended the council consider its investment strategy and update its website.

Mr McDonald recognised the council had faced challenges including staff absences and personnel changes over the past year.

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"It is the council's collective responsibility to organise its affairs to enable it to comply with the various legal and regulatory requirements, which themselves seem to grow in number each year," the report finished.

A statement from Cllr Brookes following the report summed up his assessment.

It said: "From an objective local government governance perspective, this document must be classified as a significantly weak and highly critical ('bad') audit report for Oakham Town Council.

"Out of the 14 active, applicable internal control objectives scrutinised by the auditor, the council failed to achieve standard regulatory compliance in eight key objectives, receiving an explicit 'No' assurance marking for each.

"This represents an exceptionally high failure rate of 57%.

"While the auditor does not find or allege any instances of fraud or untoward financial misconduct, the document exposes pervasive administrative backlogs, repeated statutory failures, severe asset mismanagement, and critical operational risks."

The report comes alongside the recent closure of the town council office due to further staff absence.

Cllr Brookes continued in his messages to councillors: "It is every councillor's job to raise concerns.

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"The council is not your local gentlemen's club; it is the lowest tier of local government, and this one has been badly run for years and is failing the residents of Oakham.

"I certainly won't be resigning, and I will continue to seek a town council that is fit for purpose."

Oakham Town Council has been approached for comment.