Council vows finance problems 'will be addressed'
BBCA council whose auditors found "significant weaknesses" in its financial arrangements has said its finance team will address the problems raised.
A report found Cumberland Council had overspent significantly and there were gaps in its financial monitoring.
The authority's Labour deputy leader, councillor Lisa Brown, said finance staff had been "working under increasing amounts of pressure" due to a large workload.
The opposition Conservative group accused the administration of "shocking financial mismanagement".
Brown said the finance team had to process multiple accounts from predecessor authorities after Cumberland Council was formed in 2023, placing a large burden on staff.
"We're assured through different briefings and meetings that it's something that they're going to address," she said.
Future savings
Councillor Mike Johnson, leader of the Conservative group, said the report showed "shocking financial mismanagement".
He said the council had a "hole" in its budget - a reference to £23.439m of exceptional financial support (EFS) the council plans to utilise next financial year.
This allows the council to borrow and sell assets to fund day-to-day services, which local authorities cannot usually do.
Asked whether ongoing reliance on EFS was a concern, Brown said it must be placed in the context of the recent reorganisation of local authorities in Cumbria, which led to upfront costs, and the council would make savings in future.