Audit Committee summons Chief Executive to explain disclosure failures

Cllr Nicholas Coombes (Liberal Democrat, Westbury-on-Trym & Henleaze), Vice Chair of the Audit Committee, has called the Chief Executive to account for the Council’s repeated failures to disclose information which should be public. The Audit Committee, while considering another report into delays handling Freedom of Information requests, agreed that he should appear before the committee.[1][2]

In the last month, the Information Commissioner ruled against the Council and forced publication of Bristol’s Internal Audit investigation into the Stepping Up programme.[3][4] In response to a Freedom of Information request, the council had argued that, in the judgement of the Monitoring Officer, publication would discourage officers from providing frank advice in the future.[5] The Information Commissioner found this position was poorly justified and unreasonable, and demanded the publication of the report.

Cllr Nicholas Coombes said:

“The Council is right to be embarrassed by the Stepping Up programme; every time more information comes to light, it reflects even worse on those making decisions during the Mayoral administration.

“Hiding the information doesn’t make the problem go away, it only makes the public more suspicious. Council officers need to stop blocking Freedom of Information requests, and stop arguing with the Information Commissioner. The authority needs to learn from the past, so we don’t make the same mistakes again. That’s why I have called the Council Chief Executive to appear before the Audit Committee, to explain what he is doing to promote a new culture of transparency and accountability.”

The Internal Audit investigation found that the contract for the Stepping Up programme was awarded without a proper tender process. For at least three years from inception, BCC staff give administrative support to the programme which was not accounted for, or covered by a formal agreement. Support was then provided by Bristol Waste, at no cost to the programme, including use of office space. The Internal Audit investigation could not quantify the cost of the Stepping Up programme because of poor record keeping, unknown levels of free staff support, and unregistered direct cash transfers. The investigation report is marked as written by the Council Chief Internal Auditor and issued to the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer in April 2023, however it was not shared with Audit Committee or its Chair at the time.

In 2024, the Council’s external auditors, Grant Thornton, were asked to investigate the Stepping Up programme by an objector to the Council’s accounts.[6] At the July 2026 Audit Committee, Cllr Nicholas Coombes asked the External Auditor about the internal investigation. Grant Thornton said that they were not aware of the previous internal investigation or given a copy of the investigation report, even though Council officers knew that Grant Thornton were looking into the same matter.

In 2025, members of the Audit Committee demanded a briefing on the Stepping Up programme. The confidential briefing by the Monitoring Officer was given in April, and reported by the Chair at the subsequent Committee meeting.[7] The committee asked for, but were denied, sight of the internal audit investigation. The briefing, as reported in the Chair’s statement, discussed procurement irregularities, but Audit Committee members did not recall being told about the administrative and office support given to the programme, which was also described in the investigation report.[8] The Audit Committee adopted Cllr Nicholas Coombes’ amendment to their Annual Report to highlight this inconsistency to the Full Council, and their continuing concerns about access to information.

Cllr Nicholas Coombes added:

“I’m shocked that Council officers did not tell Grant Thornton about their internal investigation, forcing the external auditors to start from scratch – when an internal report had been completed a year earlier.

“It is also incredibly frustrating that Council officers would not provide an internal report to elected members of the Audit Committee, yet the Information Commissioner cleared the same report to be published in full. Our officers need to learn from this and re-calibrate their legal advice. Hiding embarrassing reports from the public, elected councillors and external auditors only raises suspicion.”

Notes to Editors:

1. Disclosure compliance report 10 - Internal Audit Exception Report - Appendix 2 - Disclosure Compliance and Data Breaches.pdf
2. 28 July 2026 Audit Committee (1:47) Audit Committee - Tuesday, 28th July, 2026 2.00 pm
3. ICO decision notice ic-415528-v6y5.pdf 
4. BCC Internal Audit Investigation https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/stepping_up_cic_internal_audit_r/response/3441113/attach/2/Stepping%20Up%20Final%20Report.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1 
5. Freedom of information request on Stepping Up Stepping Up CIC - Internal audit report - a Freedom of Information request to Bristol City Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
6. External Audit Report 2023/24 (page 32) Local Government Auditor's Annual Report 2023/24
7. May 2025 Audit Committee Appendix to mins - Audit Committee Chairs Statement on Stepping Up.pdf
8. 28 July 2026 Audit Committee (3:12) Audit Committee - Tuesday, 28th July, 2026 2.00 pm - YouTube