An accountancy firm that delivered a damning report into Liverpool Council ’s energy contract failings has defended its work and the cost of its findings.
Representatives from Mazars Accountants said they had delivered “a thorough piece of work” which was worth the fee as its assessment into what went wrong at the Cunard Building over energy terms was debated by members of the council’s audit committee. The firm, who were commissioned by Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson to carry out an external investigation, identified gaps in the council’s own audit process, criticised individual decision making and accused the authority of failing to learn lessons from previous contract renewals.
Members of the committee had their first opportunity to publicly discuss the findings at Liverpool Town Hall last night and called into question the value for money of the report. Labour group chief whip Cllr Ruth Bennett said the document told members nothing they didn’t know already as the majority of issues had been identified in the Max Caller and commissioners’ investigation.
