SENIOR councillors have been ordered to draw up a business plan for the Future Shape scheme after an independent report revealed there is no “fundamental mandate” for it.

A report to the audit committee, which scrutinises council finances, on the controversial “easyCouncil” pointed out there was no clear direction for the scheme.

The report by auditors Grant Thornton noted: “The council needs to develop and agree a more fundamental mandate for the programme y developing a programme level business case that sets out the planned costs, benefits, timescales, risks and outcomes of the programme.”

At the committee last night members asked top officers, appointed earlier this year, to draw up and present a business plan to them by the December meeting.

It was also revealed more than £2m will ave been spent on implementing the plans, which will see many public services outsourced to save cash for the council.

Councillor Alex Brodkin, a Labour member of the committee, criticised the Conservative administration for failing to put together a coherent business plan before progressing the scheme.

He said: “In the real world outside Future Shape you need a business case to be accepted before funding emerges. Here it is the other way round.

“They've spent money trying to identify things without a business case, it seems its a reversal of how it should be done.

“It's also not very helpful the council will not produce facts for the committee to work from. We're not being treated as openly as we would like.”

Councillor Robert Rams, who is in charge of the Future Shape programme, said a report in October last year set out the “strategic vision” for the scheme and pledged o have a “more detailed” plan in place by December's meeting.