Editorial: Waterford Council spending must stand up to scrutiny if public confidence is to be maintained

Over the past few weeks we have published stories that shine a spotlight on issues concerning financial record-keeping at Waterford City and County Council, after audits discovered significant inadequacies involving millions of Euros in project funding.

Two audits commissioned by the National Transport Authority (NTA) raised concerns over Waterford Council’s record-keeping of over €20 million of Active Travel funds across 2023 and 2024.

The reports raised issues with missing documents for tenders and invoices, and a lack of conflict-of-interest declarations.

For the Bilberry to City Centre Greenway Link, the Council did not provide any transaction numbers for four instalments that cost €1.4 million. 

For an Active Travel scheme in Portlaw, no conflict-of-interest declarations were on file for €700,000 worth of transactions, while supplier names for two payments of over €600,000 were wrong. 

These reports follow issues raised in the Council's 2024 audit, which deemed that Winterval had gone over budget by €800,000. (Though this overspend figure is disputed by Winterval's organisers). 

While Waterford Council stated that the issues raised in the audits were "procedural", with no indication of serious wrongdoing identified, they serve to erode public confidence in how the local authority is managing the spending of millions of euros of taxpayers' money.

Waterford Council reiterated that it was committed to "compliance, transparency, and continuous improvement in the administration of public funds".

The Active Travel Scheme, a Government-funded programme designed to develop sustainable transport and promote traffic calming measures, has been written about extensively in the Waterford News & Star - with councillors from the Comeragh District voicing disappointment at what they perceive to be rural Waterford left out and short-changed when it comes to Active Travel projects.

Waterford Council puts forward proposals on an annual basis for certain areas of the city and county to receive Active Travel funding, but, ultimately, it is central government that allocates the funding. 

It was recently cited that Council proposed areas such as Dunhill and Bonmahon for funding this year, but, unfortunately, neither received any, with the priority currently for funding to go towards larger urban areas.

There is no question that the Active Travel scheme has benefitted Waterford, with funding leading to the creation of new cycle paths, improved crossings for walking and cycling, safer school routes, Greenway expansions and more.

Likewise, spending on festivals and events, such as Winterval, has been crucial in elevating our standing nationwide, and, in turn, attracting greater tourism spend and retail footfall.

But if councillors, and indeed the tax-paying public, are to have confidence and trust in Council spending, it is not good enough that the cycle of audits throws up discrepancies.

While issues will arise in an organisation as large as Waterford City and County Council - the audits pinpointed inadequacies involving huge sums of money. 

With high-profile scandals across the country on financial spending - the Dáil bike stand being an example in point - it is crucial that Waterford Council's finances stand up to scrutiny.