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Cumbria CC is hoping to wipe the slate clean with the election of a new administration, amid revelations of financial chaos. The ruling Conservative/Lib Dem partnership broke down in July as errors in the 2007/08 accounts began to emerge. Cllr Stewart Young, from the Labour group, will now lead the council. He was voted in unopposed after a vote of no confidence in the preceding executive. Labour will now run the council, but with a depleted cabinet of five Labour members, as both the Tory Party and the Lib Dems have failed to put forward candidates to take the other five posts. At the full council meeting last week chief executive Peter Stybelski said: ‘I can assure all members that robust management action is being taken to modernise and strengthen the accounts function. ‘I am sure we have in place now the appropriate strong management to ensure this sort of event never happens again.' The former administration came under fire when it emerged gross expenditure at the council had been over-estimated by £53m, income from fees and charges was £131m less than the accounts showed and income from Government grants was £78m more than the council had thought. It meant the council failed to improve its two-star CPA rating. Former Tory council leader Cllr Tim Stoddard said he had no regrets about stripping financial responsibilities from his deputy leader at the time, Lib Dem councillor Joan Stocker, in response to the revelations. But the move triggered the end of the Tory/Lib Dem partnership, which had led the council since June 2001. Following public consultation, the council has also now decided not to go for a directly elected mayor next year but maintain a leader and cabinet model.

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FINANCE

Young to wipe slate clean at Cumbria after finance foul up

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