Calls have been made for monitoring officers (MO) to have legal knowledge and be at the top table of senior officers after a damning report into Barnet LBC.

Barnet and Harrow LBCs’ joint legal service, HB Public Law, failed to comment or give advice on reports on political proportionality and members’ allowances before they were considered and voted on by councillors at a meeting of the former authority earlier this year.

External investigator Claer Lloyd-Jones said no-one at Barnet queried this or noticed anything was wrong.