The Welsh Local Government Association are proposing a new criminal
offence for anyone disclosing information obtained by a local government
auditor. There would also be powers for councils to veto critical
reports on their conduct.

The measures are contained in Clause 54 of the Public Audit (Wales)
Bill, currently before parliament. There are two days of committee
sessions to discuss it next week.

Apparently it follows the series of scandals surrounding Flintshire
council and the report of former internal auditor, Andy Sutton. I'm
sure your colleagues as well as mine will have used similar information
as the basis of items/programmes in the past.

Can I suggest that the NUJ should find out more about this clause
(there is some stuff on the Internet and Brian Walters on the Swansea
Evening Post wrote a very god piece on Wednesday 18th Feb -- page 15).

Andy Collinson - HTV Chapel