AN INDEPENDENT investigation has been launched into a local authority’s running of a community centre, following allegations of years of financial "mismanagement".

Concerns were first raised four years ago by Kinson Community Centre volunteers who estimate that “in excess of £100,000” vanished from its books during its time being run by Bournemouth council.

However, the council only commissioned an investigation into the complaints, which relate to "historic mismanagement" of the facility, in September.

Bill Cotton, the council's executive director, said: “I have commissioned an external investigation of the three complaints received from a member of the public, all relating to Kinson Community Centre."

The centre is owned by Bournemouth council but has been leased to Kinson Community Association since 1999.

In October 2014, a number of complaints were made by trustees relating to financial issues linked to the council which they believe should have been handled through its anti-fraud and corruption strategy.

Association chairman David Brown, who is also a Poole councillor, submitted a freedom of information request for a copy of the policy at the beginning of October this year but was told that it did not exist.

Following this response, Mr Brown had planned to raise the issue to members of the council's audit and governance committee at its meeting on Wednesday, October 24.

However, the evening before a copy of anti-fraud and corruption policy was supplied and he was told by the council that, following advice from its monitoring officer, he would be unable to make a public deputation due to its contents being "inappropriate".

He said that the situation made it clear that there are "systemic failures" with the council's complaints anti-fraud procedures.

“We need local councils to have effective anti-fraud and corruption policies to give us confidence that public money is being well used, our communities are protected, and those who may abuse their positions are held to account," he said.

Mr Cotton added: “As this independent investigation is ongoing, the monitoring officer advised the chairman of audit and governance it would be inappropriate to allow a deputation on the matter, particularly since the member of the public declined to share the content of that deputation, as we ask people to do in advance.

“I hope that all involved will assist the investigator in their work, so that the matter can be concluded as soon as possible.”