A West London Council Leader's claim that the authority doesn't need to rely on external scrutiny because it can do a good enough job on its own has been branded "not acceptable".

The comment was made at a Hillingdon Council Cabinet meeting on July 24, when Cabinet members discussed the ongoing financial difficulties facing the local authority. Conservative Council Leader Ian Edwards said "we are house keeping ourselves" in reference to having identified some of its financial challenges itself.

However opposition councillors as well as a former Labour councillor questioned how appropriate it is to suggest scrutiny is not needed.

Cllr Stuart Mathers, Leader of Hillingdon Labour, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that he was "extremely alarmed" by Cllr Edwards' comment

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