COUNCIL officers have never looked at the financial accounts of private firm Mouchel, councillors heard on Tuesday night (Nov 9).

Cllr Ben Grower, chairing the Audit and Governance Committee, said it was “absolutely amazing” adding that as an accountant he would have expected the accounts to list the identity of the private firm’s external auditors as PWC.

He said: “Do I understand that at no stage did any officer look at the financial accounts of Mouchel?”

Mark Forrester, executive director, finance and business improvement, replied: “I’m not aware that they did.”

Cllr Grower replied: “I would expect some officers at least to look at accounts from the company they were going to award a contract of £150m to.”

Cllr Derek Borthwick said: “This is so basic. If this hasn’t been done. What else is under the carpet?”

Vice-chairman Cllr Richard Smith asked why accountancy giant, PWC, was chosen to advise the council.

Bournemouth council chief executive, Pam Donnellan, said she was the one who contacted PWC adding she wasn’t aware they were external auditors to Mouchel.

“PWC is world-wide with thousands of clients. I wasn’t aware of that at the time. I did it on the basis they had been our external auditors for a number of years. I was aware that they were very familiar with our budgetary position.”

The meeting heard officers had looked at Mouchel’s bank references.

Cllr Grower said: “We did at least get one thing right.”

A written assurance on Mouchel’s financial position will be available at today’s cabinet meeting councillors heard.