Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council approved 38 contracts worth nearly £100million over three years without fully following financial procedures due to what was described as a lack of awareness.
An annual report, set to be presented to the Audit and Governance Committee, reveals a 58 per cent increase in reported breaches for 2025/26.
The value of contracts breaching financial rules rose to £48.3million in 2025/26, up from £29.2million the previous year and £15.4million in 2023/24.
The largest breach involved a £30million Housing Delivery scheme for 110 homes, where the main construction phase proceeded without the required Procurement Decision Record after officers assumed earlier approvals were sufficient.
Another significant breach was a £15.7million contract for emergency accommodation for homeless households, where spot purchases were made over several years without completing the necessary records.
The report attributes these issues to legacy practices and highlights that targeted training and reminders are being implemented to address them.
Councillor Mike Cox said the breaches did not affect spending and emphasised ongoing improvements in financial governance.
