A review into land and property policies at Causeway Coast and Glens council has found the authority lacks the leadership to ensure a "culture of compliance" after a critical report was published last year.
The independent review, which was published last month, was launched after a damning extraordinary audit of the council by the Northern Ireland Audit Office last July.
The audit found that two land deals agreed by unionist-dominated council may not have been lawful.
Among the recommendations made was that the council should "arrange an independent detailed review of all of its land-related policies and procedures to ensure all policies comply with the legislation and guidance"
It also suggested the council should "ensure that it demonstrates that it is meeting the legislative requirements and best practice in land and policy transactions and that this is clearly documented".
In August 2022 the council approved an action plan to implement the audit recommendations.
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Council reviews follow critical audit office report
In October Integritas Consulting and Training Ltd was appointed to carry out a review, which took place between November 2022 and January this year.
Completed last month, the review concluded that "the council currently lacks the necessary leadership at governing body, chief executive and Senior Leadership Team levels to effect change to ensure a culture of compliance" identified in the audit report.
The review also found that the council has not implemented "any aspect of its Estate Strategy", which was adopted in March 2020.
The report added that it found no evidence "of scrutiny at any level of the council's governance structure".
"This reduces the council's strategy to a paper exercise that 'ticks a box', without any real meaning or impact."
The review recorded that the council's overall management falls short.
"The council's governance structure has gaps that lack leadership, oversight and scrutiny of the more strategic land and property issues such as those contained in the Estates Strategy," the report states.
While the council meets its statutory obligations, the review concludes that it could make "some enhancements to its processes".
It points out that the council does not "comply with good practice" as recommended by the Northern Ireland Audit Office and Strategic Investment Board.
It also concludes that progress needs to be made at a quicker pace to "validate ownership of an estimated 300 property records".
The governance and land and property review reports were among three discussed during a special council meeting on Monday.
A spokeswoman for Causeway coast and Glens council said: “Council considered the three independent reports at a special meeting of council on Monday 27th March and unanimously accepted the reports and agreed to develop an Implementation Plan in respect of all the recommendations contained in each of the reports.”
