Transparency International have published a major report Corruption in UK Local Government reviewing the risks and evidence of corruption in local government.
The report finds little evidence of widespread corruption but finds that the conditions are present in which corruption is likely to thrive, including:
- low levels of transparency
- poor external scrutiny
- networks of cronyism
- reluctance or lack of resources to investigate
- outsourcing of services
- significant financial sums at stake, and
- possibly, denial that it can happen
The report also expresses concern at the removal or reduction of key checks and balances in the system, particularly in England.
Robert Barrington Executive Director of Transparency International UK recently spoke at the CIPFA Governance Summit on this report and on other research findings on the public sector. His presentation is available to BGF subscribers to download.
Download Robert Barrington's presentation (Powerpoint, 3.7 MB)