- Just 31 British councils, under 10 per cent
of the total, have released audited accounts for 2022/23. The
deadline for audited accounts was the 30th September.
-
97 councils failed to publish any accounts in
2022/23. The deadline for draft accounts was the 31st May.
- A total of 658 audited statements of
accounts are overdue over the last four financial years
New analysis by the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) shows that almost
100 councils have failed to publish any
statement of accounts for the latest financial year. In total,
over the four financial years since 2018/19, there are
658 overdue audited statements of accounts,
leading to what the TPA has called a ‘transparency
crisis’ in local government.
In 2022/23, only 31 councils released audited
accounts, 252 posted draft statements and
97 haven’t released anything. For 2021/22,
182 have released audited accounts,
162 posted draft statements and
37 haven’t released anything. For 2020/21,
296 have released audited accounts,
71 have posted draft statements and
10 haven’t published anything. For 2019/20,
348 have released audited accounts,
25 have published draft statements and
two haven’t published anything.
Woking council has not published accounts for
2021/22 and 2022/23 and Birmingham council has
not issued audited accounts since 2019/2020. Both have issued
Section 114 notices, an effective declaration of bankruptcy, in
recent months.
South Cambridgeshire District Council has not
published audited accounts since 2019/20. The council is
currently under fire
from the TPA and the local government minister for running a
four-day week trial for staff.
The TPA recently revealed that the council tax
burden is as high as 10p in the pound in some local
authorities, and that since its introduction council tax has
risen by 79 per
cent in real terms.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE
FULL DATA SET
Key findings:
- Just 31 British councils have released
audited accounts for 2022/23.
-
97 councils failed to publish any accounts in
2022/23.
-
658 audited statements of accounts are
overdue, while 147 draft statements of
accounts are overdue.
- Only 15 of England’s 317
councils (4.7 per cent) have
filed audited accounts for every year since 2019/20. Meanwhile,
27 (8.5 per cent) of English
councils have failed to file audited accounts for the last four
years.
- In Wales, not a single council published
audited statements of accounts in the year 2022/23.
- 10 of Northern Ireland’s 11 councils have
published audited accounts for the last four years and 6 of
Scotland’s 32 have done so.
-
Greenwich is the only London
council to have published audited accounts for
2022/23.
- Two councils have not published any type of accounts for each
of the last four years: Copeland and
Gravesham.
-
South Cambridgeshire District Council has not
published audited accounts since 2019/20. The council is
currently under fire from the TPA and the local government
minister for running a four-day week trial for
staff to the detriment of local taxpayers.
Elliot Keck, head of campaigns at the TaxPayers'
Alliance, said:
"The failure to file accounts is causing a transparency
crisis in local government.
“It’s unacceptable that struggling Brits have to stump up for
growing council tax bills when their town hall bosses either
won’t or can’t show them what they’re spending their money
on.
“Local government chiefs
should treat taxpayers with greater respect and file accounts on
time.”
TPA spokespeople are available for live and pre-recorded
broadcast interviews via 07795 084 113 (no texts)
Notes to editors:
1. Founded in 2004 by Matthew Elliott and Andrew Allum, the
TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) campaigns to reform taxes and public
services, cut waste and speak up for British taxpayers. Find out
more at www.taxpayersalliance.com.
2. TaxPayers' Alliance's advisory
council.
3. All councils were checked on the 16th to 17th October 2023.
4. Use this
link to search the status of council’s accounts over
the last four financial years.
