Wednesday 30 July 2008

Lib Dems counting the pennies

You wouldn't think the Welsh Liberal Democrats were so awash with cash that filing their accounts would be a difficult task.

You'd be wrong - the party is in trouble with the electoral commission for failing to meet its deadline.

The Welsh Lib Dems are now facing a possible fine from the commission, the size of which could depend on how late the accounts are when finally submitted. They were due in May.

The commission said: "Final statements of accounts have yet to be received from the Welsh Liberal Democrats accounting unit. The penalty it faces will depend on how late they are".

Its head in Wales, Kay Jenkins, said: "The regulatory framework put in place by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act is designed to ensure the integrity of our democratic system and is quite clear on the time-frame that must be adhered to. That is why we are fining parties who did not meet the deadline for submitting their accounts."

Commission chief executive Peter Wardle agreed verbatim: "The regulatory framework put in place by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act is designed to ensure the integrity of our democratic system and is quite clear on the time-frame that must be adhered to. That is why we are fining parties who did not meet the deadline for submitting their accounts."

Perhaps when the Welsh Lib Dems have filed their audited accounts they can ask the commission why it needs two people to deliver identical statements.

The Lib Dems say: "We acknowledge that when the accounts were submitted they had not been audited and certified. This process is now taking place. We do not take this fine lightly and are undertaking a thorough review of our present procedures to ensure audited accounts will always be submitted on time in the future"

No comments: