WARRINGTON Town Hall has again been criticised for failing to protect its planning officers from accusations of fraud and corruption.

The District Auditor has warned for the fourth year in succession that clear records have not been kept of meetings between officers and developers and that only one officer has been present.

Speaking at Tuesday's scrutiny meeting, which looked at the problem, Lib Dem councillor Brian Axcell said: "It is astonishing and quite disgraceful that yet again the council has been criticised over planning procedures.

"We asked months ago for the council's scrutiny committee to examine the planning department but the request was refused then - we shall continue to press for this matter to be taken seriously."

But Alan Stephenson, the council's director of environment, said improvements were in hand that would make Warrington as transparent as any authority in the country.

He added: "The improvements we have been working hard to implement recently have changed things completely and, by the time all our improvements are in place, we will have a final system that will exceed the best practice recommended by the District Auditor."