CELEBRATIONS at Barry Town's League of Wales championship success were cut short after the District Auditor put the boot into the club a second time.
Auditory Janet Jones has published a new damning report on the financial dealings between the Vale of Glamorgan Council and the Jenner Park outfit, which this week was put up for sale.
The document, leaked exclusively to the Echo, reveals the council went �130,000 over budget on ground improvements and took a year to chase up �86,000 of club debts.
The auditor also said councillors were kept in the dark over payments because an account for the club did not include the cost of the pitch, which rose by 500 per cent.
And she condemned the authority for failing to charge the club for thousands of pounds worth of work. She also revealed the club has failed to pass on a �30,000 Football Trust grant to the council.
The report details a 15-point action plan for the council to remedy the situation.
The report said: "Members should receive a report identifying total expenditure at the stadium and reasons for the significant increase in costs."
The report, delivered to councillors last night, says the council failed to charge the club for pitch lighting and cleaning.
And the council's chief executive David Foster tried to keep the matter secret from the district auditor.
Mr.Foster wrote to the club, without telling the authority's finance officers, stating: "I am extremely anxious that our auditors do not refer to this outstanding matter in their report.
"I am sure you will agree it would cause us both considerable embarrassment."
Mrs.Jones also raised questions over a new club stand.
"We are not aware of any agreement concerning the construction, liability for future maintenance or insurance arrangements should spectators be injured," she said.
"The rateable value of stand is �18,000 but no rates are recharged to the club."
The document comes less than three months after the district auditor's first report, which also condemned the relationship between council and club.
The acting leader of the council, Barry Murray, was unavaailable for comment.
Conservative councillors condemned the findings.
Coun. Michael Harvey said: "For years there have been complaints about the preferential treatment given to Barry Town.
Our concerns have now been fully vindicated. How can you justify no money school maintenance, pothole repairs and cutting grass when you see the mismanagement, inefficiency and utter incompetence detailed in this report?"
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This article first published in the South Wales Echo, 01.04.1999
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