A recent audit of Fenland District Council has raised significant concerns about the way councillors’ declarations of interest are collected, checked and managed, prompting calls for stronger internal controls to protect transparency and public trust.
The annual audit, carried out by Ernst & Young (EY), will be presented to the council’s Audit & Risk Management Committee on February 17. While the report confirms that Fenland is meeting its statutory obligations to publish councillors’ interests, auditors warn that the council’s internal processes fall short of best practice and do not provide full assurance against undisclosed conflicts.
What are declarations of interest?
Declarations of interest (DOIs) are a legal requirement for all councillors. They are designed to ensure that any personal, financial or business interests that could influence decision-making are properly disclosed and made available to the public.
Under the Localism Act 2011, councillors must complete a declaration within 28 days of election or re-election and must update it within 28 days of any change in circumstances.
These registers are published on council websites and can be inspected by residents, forming a key part of accountability in local democracy.
Compliance on paper — but concerns behind the scenes
At first glance, Fenland District Council appears compliant. Registers of interest for all councillors, including senior figures such as Council Leader Chris Boden and Deputy Leader Jan French, are publicly available online.
However, EY’s report highlights an important distinction between publication and internal oversight.
Auditors found that while declarations are accessible to the public, the council’s compliance checks and verification procedures were only being actively applied to Cabinet members, not to all councillors.
In the report, EY states: “We have noted that the Council only obtain Declaration of Interest (DOI) forms for Cabinet members and not all Council members.”
This selective approach, auditors warn, creates gaps in monitoring and increases the risk that conflicts involving non-Cabinet councillors could go undetected.
Key weaknesses identified
The audit report outlines several areas where Fenland’s processes need improvement.
Firstly, auditors noted that DOI forms were not being systematically collected and managed for every councillor as part of internal compliance.
Secondly, the forms themselves were found to lack key identifying information, such as dates of birth and addresses. EY explained that without these details, external checks — including searches of Companies House records — are far more difficult.
The auditors wrote: “The DOI forms do not include date of birth or addresses, meaning that Companies House searches are not possible.”
Thirdly, the scope of disclosures was considered too narrow. Current forms focus mainly on income received directly from Fenland District Council, rather than requiring councillors to declare wider business interests, such as directorships or senior officer roles in other organisations.
EY recommended the forms should be amended to ask about: “Any other companies where they are a Senior Officer/Director.”
Why it matters for public trust
Although Fenland is meeting the “letter of the law” by publishing councillor interests, auditors caution that the existing system may not be robust enough to identify or prevent undisclosed conflicts.
Declarations of interest are central to good governance. Without comprehensive and verifiable information, the risk increases that important interests may be missed, inaccurately recorded, or not properly checked.
EY stressed that strong controls are essential for transparency, accountability and maintaining confidence in local decision-making.
The report categorised the issue as significant, stating: “Matters or issues considered to be of major importance to maintenance of internal control, good corporate governance or best practice… Action should be taken within six months.”
Wider pressures on council capacity
The auditors also noted broader challenges within the council’s finance team, pointing to capacity issues caused by competing priorities and business-critical activities.
EY stated that staff were responsive but warned that limited resources could affect the council’s ability to deliver audits and governance improvements in a timely manner.
Recommendations and council response
EY has urged Fenland District Council to strengthen its approach by:
- Requiring all councillors, not just Cabinet members, to complete DOI forms under the council’s internal compliance process
- Updating forms to include fuller personal details to support verification
- Expanding disclosures to cover wider business and corporate roles
- Strengthening internal controls to ensure interests are properly checked
The council has agreed to implement these changes, acknowledging the need to improve processes and align with best practice across local government.
What happens next?
Residents can expect updated declaration forms and a more comprehensive system for collecting and verifying councillor interests in the months ahead. The council’s Monitoring Officer will oversee the improved process to ensure compliance and transparency.
Councillors’ registers of interest remain available on Fenland District Council’s website, and concerns can be raised through the Monitoring Officer or the council’s complaints procedure.
