Eric Pickles is displeased with

‘Slowcoach’ councils frustrate Pickles

‘Slowcoach’ councils frustrate Pickles

By politics.co.uk staff

Local authorities who still have not published their spending data are attracting the ire of the communities secretary.

Eric Pickles has warned councils that they must open up their books to public scrutiny by the next month, after he ordered them to do so six months ago.

Only 144 of 354 English local authorities have published their itemised spending online, Mr Pickles said.

He suggested local authorities should make it their new year’s resolution to become more transparent.

“The slowcoach councils only have a month to go before serious questions will be asked about what they’ve got to hide,” Mr Pickles said.

“Openness is an essential part of a proper modern democracy. The taxpayer has a right to see where their money is being spent, to point out waste and decide local priorities.”