Bristol City Council has missed the deadline for the submission of its end-of-year accounts because key pieces of work were ‘still in progress’.

Auditors BDO have said they are waiting for clarification on ten different items, including an alleged £70,000 payout to a chief executive who resigned after seven months.

Anna Klonowski left her position at the authority last September to look after her parents.

‘The council’s external auditors BDO have told the audit committee that due to key pieces of work that are still in progress they will not be able to finalise their inspection of the council’s accounts and produce the associated reports before the earlier reporting statutory deadline 31 July 2018,’ said a spokesperson for the council.

‘BDO and council officers will continue to work together to obtain the additional information they seek and hope to be in a position to conclude the work on the 2017/18 accounts in the coming weeks.’