Woking: Financial decisions leading up to bankruptcy to be published

The council said the papers would help people understand the decisions that had contributed to its current financial difficulties

Financial decisions made in the run up to Woking Borough Council's effective bankruptcy could be published in March, accountants have said.

Councillors had pledged to publish the documents showing decisions made since 2016.

The council has completed an internal review and said the move would increase "decision-making transparency".

But the papers will only be made public once auditors have completed their own investigation.

Woking Borough Council effectively declared itself bankrupt in June, saying it could not balance its budget.

Last week, its leader warned of a "complex" financial crisis facing the authority as it revealed plans to cut services.

Accountancy firm Grant Thornton LLP has been examining Woking's books following a government intervention in May.

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Joanne Brown, director of public sector assurance at Grant Thornton LLP, said it had concluded the fieldwork and was finalising a report, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

She said the company had to consult with interested parties before the report could be published, which she appreciated "may be frustrating for residents of Woking, the council and other stakeholders who are keen to see the report's findings".

However, "the approach we are following is both important and necessary," she added.

The documents, which contain commercially sensitive information, are usually confidential.

In a statement, the council said it was publishing the historic papers so people could better understand the decisions and actions that had contributed to its current financial challenges.

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