Latest in fraud probe into nearly £1M unaccounted for at Bolton Council

The Bolton News reported exclusively in October 2023 that a fraud investigation was underway into how almost £1m from council coffers could not be accounted for.

Now Greater Manchester Police have said that they are still investigating the case and that officers are liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service.

A meeting of the council’s audit committee heard that there had been concerns about the lack of further information about the case since then.

Chairman Cllr David Grant said: “Unfortunately the information hasn’t been forthcoming.”

He added: “I also want to, based on the fact that this has come before us in the work programme, [move] that we request that the chief executive write a letter to the CPS expressing our disappointment, asking for an update.”

The audit committee met at Bolton Town Hall (Image: Anthony Moss) Committee member Cllr John Walsh suggested that the committee ask Chief Executive of Bolton Council Ms Johnson to write to Bolton’s three MPs Yasmin Qureshi, Phil Brickell and Kirith Entwistle.

He suggested that this should express the committee’s disappointment in delays dealing with “an important matter of public funds.”

Cllr Walsh said: “Because I think it’s fundamental that we have a duty to raise it in the wider public sphere than just a private letter as it were to the CPS.”

The committee voted unanimously to ask Ms Johnson to write the letter to the CPS and the three MPs. 

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Grant said: “When I took on this role, I made a commitment to get answers, and I believe it is my duty to do so.

“While I am confident that the council’s internal team has addressed any procedural weaknesses to prevent such instances when funds are unaccounted for from happening again, we must have clarity on where this case stands.

“The people of Bolton deserve transparency and accountability, and I will continue to press for the answers we are owed.”

The investigation is believed to centre on Bolton Council’s adult services department and to involve a figure of around £900,000. 

Also speaking after the meeting, former audit committee chair Cllr Martyn Cox, who no longer sits on the committee, says he remains deeply concerned about the lack of public information.

Cllr Cox said: “It’s been two years since the council discovered nearly a million pounds was unaccounted for from adult services.

“In that period neither councillors nor the public have been informed of what happened, how this money became to be unaccounted for.”

He added: “The public deserve better than this, they pay a huge amount in tax to support these organisations, and they are being let down.”

Back in October 2023 Greater Manchester Police said they and the council were aware of a report made in connection to alleged fraud and malpractice.

They said that this was in connection to alleged offences that took place between 2017 and March 2023.

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A force spokesperson said at the time that its Economic Crime Unit had launched an investigation.

A council audit committee meeting held in April 2024 excluded the public and press from a full discussion of its “annual fraud strategy.” 

The committee heard that it may be possible to publish an annual fraud strategy report publicly that did not include confidential information as an interim measure.

Source – INDIA TV