Introducing the Citizens Audit

The Citizens Audit is a process where you the resident/reader help me, help you find out more about Council Expenditure to outsource contractors, asking political questions as to why that expenditure is taking place. Each Month, I will publish a simplified expenditure, with some commentary, then I will leave it to you to ask me questions, and I will do my best to find the answer and publish them.

Three Basic Principles of the Citizen’s Audit

Zero Based Budgeting

Zero Based Budgeting is a method of budgeting in which all expenses must be justified and approved for each new period. Developed by Peter Pyrrh in the 1970s, zero-based budgeting starts from a “zero base” at the beginning of every budget period, analyzing needs and costs of every function within an organization and allocating funds accordingly, regardless of how much money has previously been budgeted to any given line item.

Participatory

Let residents and readers, decide what line item they want to question, and I will endeavour to get those answered. And then publish those answers.

Politics

Normal audit processes concentrate on processes and whether the actual item purchased or service received is value for money, however I am asking readers to link the expenditure items to political values. Council Budget are not just financial statements, they are also political statements.

How do you get involved?

I will pick a topic, and do a summary with dates, payment types and amounts. You can look at my summary and ask me questions to raise and publish the answers I receive.

You can either:

1. Email me: [email protected]
2. WhatsApp Me: 07846890823
3. Leave a comment below

“If the structure does not permit dialogue the structure must be changed”

Paulo Freire