A local government oversight body is taking forward recommendations contained in a damning 2022 audit into land deals at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
Details of the Local Government Staff Commission’s work emerged days after The Irish News revealed a scathing review into governance found that "leadership is lacking at CEO and senior executive level" at the council.
The independent report also identified "fundamental structural governance weaknesses" in leadership at both political and officer level.
The recent governance review was launched after an extraordinary audit by the Northern Ireland Audit Office last year, which was ordered by the Department for Communities (DfC).
The progress of the review was monitored by senior officials at the department.
The audit concluded there was a case for finding that two deals agreed by the unionist-dominated council "had not been granted lawfully" and identified a culture of "bypassing best practice" in the authority's transacting of land disposals and easements.
It made eight recommendations including for a council-wide review of governance arrangements.
The recommendations included that the council “should take appropriate action where it has been demonstrated from this report that the behaviour of senior council officers has fallen short of the standards expected of an official in a public body”.
It also suggested that the authority “should refer senior council officers to the relevant professional bodies where it has been demonstrated from this report that the behaviour of those officers has fallen short of the standards and behaviours expected by those bodies”.
The Local Government Staff Commission is responsible for “oversight of matters connected with the recruitment, training and terms and conditions” of council and Housing Executive staff.
When contacted, a spokeswoman for the commission said all press enquiries regarding the audit “are being dealt with” by Causeway Coast and Glens council.
A spokeswoman for the council said that at a recent special meeting the “council resolved that the commission is requested to work with council to assist with recommendation 6 and 7" of the audit.
Independent councillor Padraig McShane said that since 2017, the local authority has been the focus of at least 11 reviews and investigations, including legal action taken by TUV leader Jim Allister.
Mr McShane and Mr Allister had separately asked the audit office to examine the council's role in land deals.
Mr McShane also raised his concerns directly with the Department for Communities.
The independent councillor said on Thursday that the “number of investigations are staggering and point to a broken system of the oversight and administration of local government”.
“Some of them were initially resisted and it would appear at times that there was even a reluctance to take appropriate action when it was clearly warranted,” he said.
“In truth, the largest portion of blame for this rests ultimately with the majority of councillors in Causeway Coast and Glens who allowed this to happen.”
The governance review gathered information from various sources including interviews with staff and elected members but said there was "limited engagement" by the DUP, which has overall control of the council, and Sinn Féin.
It was one of three separate reviews discussed by the council on Monday.
Another review into land and property-related policies has also raised significant questions about those in leadership roles.
Mr McShane has urged DfC “to immediately step in and take control of the organisation”, claiming that “the current leadership in Causeway Coast and Glens council is evidently not fit for purpose”.
A spokesman for DFC said: “As this is an ongoing process, it would be inappropriate for the department to comment until it is completed.”
