See how council tax is spent

Oldham Council has published details of all spending above £500 — a day before it was due to be named and shamed for not doing so.

New rules requiring local authorities to release details of all purchases over £500 — so the public can see where their money is being spent — come into force at the end of the month.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles announced the proposals in June and believes it will highlight wasteful spending and show areas where spending could be reduced.

With a week to go until the deadline, the Government today issued a list of councils not already publishing data, which included Oldham Council and five others across Greater Manchester.

However last night, Oldham Council chiefs uploaded their data — seven days ahead of the deadline.

Councillor Lynne Thompson, cabinet member for performance and value for public money, said: “This move is an important part of Oldham Council’s commitment to providing financial transparency.

“We are fully committed to providing information in accordance with the national guidelines and this is part of a much wider agenda which has also included us publishing information about senior officers’ salaries, members’ allowances, job vacancies and frontline service data.”

The first set of data covers the payment period back to October 1 last year and the council says information will be published on a monthly basis.

Mr Pickles said: “I’ve called for every council to become more open and accountable about every aspect of their work, starting with getting all expenditure over £500 online by the end of this month. Transparency can help save money in tough times protecting frontline services, by cutting waste and unnecessary costs.

“The final countdown for councils has begun. In the last six months more than half of all councils have got their house in order.

“The public have a right to know how their tax pounds are spent, and those yet to deliver are running out of excuses and time before they have to face their electorate — I hope every council chooses to do so openly, transparently and democratically.”

To view council spending visit http://www.oldham.gov.uk/spendingrecords