Dear Sir
Residents for Uttlesford political activists have long banged on about the need for transparency in Local Government. However, now they are in overall political control of Uttlesford District Council and Saffron Walden Town Council transparency is far from their minds and has been in short supply.
In order to partially restore some credibility perhaps the Leader of the Council at Uttlesford, Cllr John Lodge, should explain to us residents and council tax payers why the Council's Auditors have not signed off the Annual Governance Statement. He was asked this question by a member of the public at an extraordinary Council Meeting (held by Zoom) on 5th November 2020. He avoided answering the question by stating that it was a regulatory issue and was confidential. His response can be heard by listening to the recording of that meeting. The recording is short as the remainder of the meeting was held in private.
Do you remember how Residents for Uttlesford used to continually complain about "meetings behind closed doors". I now think they hold the record for "meetings behind closed doors" In respect of confidentiality, Cllr Lodge should be aware of the old saying "that the truth will out".
Yours sincerely,
Jim Ketteridge