Nowhere to hide in contract failings, Liverpool Council told

Liverpool City Council has "nowhere to hide" over multiple contract failings , its chief executive has said.

In May, a report revealed errors in dealing with contracts at the authority meant its energy bill would increase from £8.5m to £13m.

At a meeting of the authority's cabinet, Tony Reeves said the only way to turn its fortunes around was to "bring things out into the open".

The meeting saw members agree to renew 13 expired or nearly expired contracts.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said a new report to cabinet was commissioned by Mayor Joanne Anderson to review of all procurements by the council following the error over the energy costs.

Mr Reeves said it had "uncovered embedded practice" in departments across the council.

The council has announced new roles, including a new strategic director of finance and resources, which are being created in a bid to better manage its finances and contracts.

Deputy Mayor Jane Corbett, who left her role overseeing the city's finances following the energy error, told the meeting the report was "very difficult, but it does show we're moving forward".

She said for the council to progress, "everything needs to come out", and the decision to make finance a priority was "something we should have done a long time ago".

Assistant Mayor Harry Doyle said the report was not "a shock", but it showed the council's commitment to transparency and turning the ship around.

He added that the report was "a positive step forward" and a "sign of the direction we're going in".

The 13 contracts, which span a number of departments, were agreed to be renewed by cabinet members by assent.

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