The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) top civil servant has renewed warnings about tougher Whitehall action to prevent risky commercial ventures by councils.
MHCLG permanent secretary Melanie Dawes insisted that councils must follow the spirit of the prudential code on capital spending, telling an audit seminar: ‘You have to guard the spirit - not just the letter - of the code.
'Otherwise we will end up with more prescription.
'You have to ensure your decisions are prudent and sustainable long-term.’
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