Oakham Town Council is facing a critical juncture at its upcoming meeting as members prepare to consider the appointment of forensic auditors to independently examine the authority's financial records.
This prospective step comes in the wake of mounting concerns voiced by a collective of current and former councillors, as well as former members of staff, who believe that fraudulent activity and financial irregularities may have taken place. While these statements reflect the specific views of those individuals, any concrete findings would ultimately be determined through a formal independent investigation.
The current financial scrutiny has roots stretching back earlier in the year, when Councillor Martin Brookes reported allegations originally brought forward by former Councillor Adam Lowe. Those initial concerns centered on irregularities within the council's payroll and potential fraud. Because Oakham Town Council lacked internal procedures robust enough to handle such allegations at the time, Councillor Brookes referred the information directly to Leicestershire Police. Who suggested the Oakham Town Council should investigate.
Since that initial report, the situation has grown more complex following further allegations raised by now-former staff members. Among the new grievances are claims that a contractor was overpaid by £10,000, alongside suspicions of duplicated payroll payments. Compounding these administrative challenges, concerns have been raised regarding the approval of accounts, with the council failing to approve either accounts or bank statements since April. The pressure on the local authority was further amplified when the council's clerk resigned following the receipt of the internal audit report, leaving the current Locum Clerk heavily overburdened while attempting to rectify the council's administrative backlog.
In response to these developments, the former Acting Deputy Clerk was asked to source quotations for a comprehensive forensic audit spanning both three-year and five-year retrospective periods. Although companies were asked to account for both timeframes, most submitted day-rate structures rather than fixed multi-year totals. An initial suggestion by the Locum Clerk to approach LGRC noted for having forensic audit specialists was set aside due to a clear conflict of interest, as the Locum Clerk works for the organisation. Consequently, the task was appropriately delegated to the former Acting Deputy Clerk to ensure impartiality.
The council has now formally received three key proposals for consideration. Company 1 has quoted between £950 and £1,050 per day, coming to an estimated total of £6,650 to £7,350 for a seven-day engagement. Company 2 provided a lump-sum starting figure from £13,580. Company 4 submitted the lowest daily rate at £550 per day, proposing approximately seven days of work for a three-year audit totaling £3,850 and approximately ten days for a five-year audit.
A primary obstacle for the council in making its decision is budgetary constraints. Oakham Town Council did not allocate funds for this specialised work in its budget, meaning that any expenditure required to appoint a forensic auditor must be drawn directly from the council's general reserves. Councillors must now balance the immediate fiscal impact against the pressing necessity for transparency, accountability, and an independent resolution to the governance questions currently facing the town.
Oakham Town Councils meeting will be held on 12th August 2026
Click here for Agenda:
https://oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk/meetings-calendar/13082/
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