A REPORT from Audit Wales has found that ongoing delays in adopting key strategic documents  created significant risks for Wrexham Council.

The main aim of the report was to discover if the council had 'effective governance arrangements in place to secure value for money in decision making with a focus on the Planning Service'.

It found that ongoing delays in adopting key strategic documents have created significant risks for the council.

Because of this, relationships between some members and officers are fractured within the council, it says.

Audit Wales says it undertook a review of the Planning Service’s arrangements and the extent to which it is supporting delivery of the council’s overall objectives.

Their work looked at how the council reviews and monitors its governance arrangements, including how it secures appropriate values and behaviours, with a specific focus on the Planning Service.

At the time of Audit Wales' work, members had not adopted a Local Development Plan. This created significant risks for the council.

And though the Planning Service has appropriate governance arrangements in place, and provides comprehensive member training, member relationships with officers are fractured, and professional officer advice is frequently undermined.

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Auditor General, Adrian Crompton said: “Based on our findings, I have set out recommendations intended to improve the relationship between officers and members, their understanding of respective roles and responsibilities, and the management of corporate risks.

"Taken together, I hope this will help the planning service fulfil its crucial enabling role across the council’.

Since Audit Wales' audit work, the council has adopted their Council Plan 2023-28 at council on December 13, 2023 and their Local Development Plan at Extraordinary Council on December 20, 2023.

• Audit Wales is the umbrella name used to describe the Auditor General for Wales and the Wales Audit Office, which are separate legal entities with their own legal functions.

Wrexham Council has declined to comment on the report.