Council appoints independent adviser after land deals audit

Some senior council officers were criticised for "serious and concerning" behaviour regarding land deals earlier this year

Causeway Coast and Glens Council has appointed an independent adviser following an extraordinary audit of controversial land deals.

Elma Murray will oversee how the council implements Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) recommendations.

The NIAO audit in July found a "culture existed of bypassing best practice and guidance to get land deals done".

It also said that the behaviour of some senior council officers was "serious and concerning".

The NIAO made eight recommendations following its extraordinary audit.

A council spokesperson said: "Elma will provide support to the implementation team and council members as well as providing updates and assurance on progress to the Department [for Communities]."

Among the NIAO's recommendations was that the council should "take appropriate action" and refer the identified senior officers to the relevant professional bodies.

It also suggested an independent review is carried out of the council's governance arrangements.

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Ms Murray told councillors that she had been a member of the Accounts Commission for Scotland which focuses on the audit of local government.

"The focus is not only on financial audit but also best value; it looks at the duty of best value for councils and how they go about providing services to local areas," she said.

She said her role at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council was "to provide support and challenge for the implementation team; to provide support and advice to elected members and to provide reassurance to the Department for Communities on the approach and process council has gone through to progress the recommendations from the extraordinary audit".