The embarrassing mistake that cost you more than £100,000

A report’s come to light revealing that mismanagement in Oldham has led to councillors being overpaid by over £100,000 due to human errors. Of 93 councillors, 82 were overpaid, while 11 were underpaid and one was unaffected. The amount owed has been revised to £104k, with individual debts ranging from nearly £800 to almost £5,000. Councillors must repay the money either as a lump sum or via a payment plan. The investigation started after a councillor raised concerns about their pay. The findings highlighted significant miscalculations and poor communication between departments. The previous council employee responsible made errors over three years without any checks in place, leaving councillors unaware of their incorrect pay. Although some councillors had questioned their allowances before, they were assured the amounts were correct. The report also pointed out gaps in visibility and record-keeping. In response to the scandal, the council has implemented a new checking process for allowances and plans to reach out to former councillors affected. Councillor Sam Al-Hamdani expressed outrage at the findings, emphasising the need for better oversight.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News