An interesting evening ahead in Thanet, as council members meet to discuss a damning report by auditors Grant Thornton into serious governance failings spanning the last two and a half years 
The report describes an extraordinary breakdown in the relationships between the four most senior members of the council's management team, resulting in series of mishandled whistleblowing and grievance complaints and legal costs which could cripple the authority
Thanet commissioned no fewer than eight separate reports, by six independent reviewers, into the whistleblowing and disciplinary issues at the council, but the findings were often "ignored", "discredited" or withheld from elected members
Yet these reports found clear evidence of bullying within the council. Worse still, evidence showed that whistleblowers had been subjected to disciplinary action. The behaviour of senior officers, the reviewers said, often fell below the expected standard
One of the independent reviewers described the culture within @ThanetCouncil as one of "overt bullying, intimidation or humiliation"
In total the council racked up a legal bill of £700,000 connected to these issues – costs which were not originally factored into its 20/21 accounts. Grant Thornton warned the council may be unable to afford any increased costs (likely given claims at an employment tribunal)
In response to the council's "inadequate" governance arrangements, the auditor took the significant step of issuing recommendations under Section 24 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 - which must be considered at a public meeting (being held this evening)
So tonight the council will hold an extraordinary meeting where it will decide whether or not to accept the recommendations - including the appointment of an external 'trouble-shooter' from another council - and what action it will take to address the issues raised by the auditor
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