Watchdog steps in on footpaths

The Auditor-General has agreed to hold an inquiry into the management of Auckland City Council's footpath contracts in the wake of a series of revelations in the Herald.

Council chief executive David Rankin last month asked Kevin Brady to independently review the matter even though he was satisfied there was no evidence of wrongdoing by any party or individual.

His decision followed an ultimatum from Mayor John Banks to get to the bottom of new revelations about the footpath contracts or he would call in Mr Brady.

Herald inquiries revealed, among other things, that a member of a tender evaluation panel accepted a ham at a Christmas party hosted by successful tenderer John Fillmore Contractors.

The Auditor-General's office yesterday said the inquiry would examine the tendering processes for the relevant footpath contracts, the management of the contracts and the council's internal investigations and reviews in the relation to the contracts.

John Fillmore, whose company has been awarded about $120 million worth of footpath contracts since 2004, has welcomed an independent investigation.