Penzance Council 'lost financial control' of fancy dress event

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-33784302

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A council that spent more than £50,000 on a pirate fancy dress world record attempt had budgeted for lottery money it had not applied for.

Penzance Town Council spent triple its £20k budget on the town's 2014 charter celebrations - including the unsuccessful record attempt.

An independent investigation has found the council "lacked financial control", with cheques signed without approval.

The council has agreed to implement all recommendations.

The independent report, seen by the BBC, highlighted that in February 2014, three months before the "Pirate Day on the Prom", a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid for £31,750 had not been applied for because it clashed with another, separate council HLF bid.

It also reveals that one councillor had "freely acknowledged" he knew he was signing cheques on behalf of the council for amounts that had not been approved.

Councillor Jack Dixon told the inquiry he knew this was wrong but wanted to protect the council from being sued for non-payment, saying "that was how things were done".

Mayor David Nesbesnuick said: "I think it's very clear [over the failed lottery bid] that there was plenty of time to do something about it.

"As a body we have been found to be complacent and negligent in performing our responsibilities to ensure that pubic money is properly spent.

"This failure, which goes back years, remained hidden because of a culture of secrecy and lack of transparency."

The report states that there was a culture of council officers keeping information from councillors.

The council has released a statement stating that town clerk Simon Glasson has left his post by mutual consent.