Questions are continuing over the sacking of eleven interim staff at Dorset Council, with a resident calling for criminal investigations and tougher action.
Torsten Mills addressed councillors directly, saying the situation highlighted serious failures in financial control and poor use of limited resources.
He called for criminal charges to be brought where appropriate, for contracts to be recovered from firms paid above agreed rates, and for those companies to be excluded from future council work.
Mr Mills questioned how payments were made without proper approval, staff recruited without records, and reserve funds accessed without explanation.
He reminded councillors that a year ago an audit report had already warned of weak ethical standards linked to financial practices.
Councillor Gary Suttle (pictured), chair of the Audit and Governance Committee, acknowledged public concern and said rebuilding trust would be central to how the council responds.
Dorset Council admitted earlier this year that it had dismissed eleven interim staff after internal investigations.