Auditors are pushing Brighton and Hove Council for transparency on Cityclean’s changes, following significant governance issues in the rubbish and recycling service.
Brighton: Auditors want more transparency about changes at Cityclean. This service handles rubbish and recycling for the city. Over the past 18 months, there have been significant issues.
A report to councillors highlighted a “significant weakness” in governance. Thankfully, this has been mostly addressed now. The auditors recommend that progress reports be shared with council members quickly.
At a recent meeting, two external auditors discussed the need for updates. A performance report is set to be presented to the council’s cabinet in May. This follows a £266,000 independent report by barrister Aileen McColgan.
The report revealed serious issues like bullying and discrimination within Cityclean. Councillors agreed to adopt all ten recommendations from the report to improve the situation.
Since then, efforts have been made to change the workplace culture. After the auditors spoke, councillors discussed making more information available to the public. Conservative councillor Anne Meadows emphasized the need for public oversight.
Labour councillor Tim Rowkins acknowledged the report’s serious findings but noted that the action plan is being addressed. He mentioned that a progress report will allow for more scrutiny from both members and the public.
Rowkins also shared that the issues raised have deeply affected staff. He stressed that while some problems were severe, they stemmed from a small group. He praised the hardworking staff who keep the city clean and presentable.
