CRITICISM following the Christine Rose fraud case has been levelled at government bodies.

The managing director at Wychavon District Council, Sid Pritchard, has written to the Audit Commission, Public Works Loan Board, National Association of Local Council and KPMG voicing concern that such wrong-doing went by unnoticed.

Rose, who is now serving a four and a half year prison sentence for fiddling four parish councils and a school out of more than £220,000, secured money from the Public Works Loan Board under the noses of government auditors, KPMG.

She forged parish councillors' signatures on cheques, bank statements and authorisation slips, got loans for work which was never carried out and fabricated parish council minute books. Leader of the council, Malcolm Meikle said: "We feel it is extraordinary that this fraud, over several years, was not detected by government auditors or the loan board.

"We want the organisations to review their policies, and have offered to help with information in the light of our recent problems."

He explained that Wychavon and parish councils were obliged to use the same government auditors who he felt had let them down.

He added: "We believe the Public Works Loan Board should also check that work they have given loans for has actually been carried out - the lottery people do!"

Last year Wychavon offered financial support to the stricken parish councils.

One accepted a loan but all four were forced to put up their precepts to help counteract the losses.

Much of the stolen money has also since been recovered after a settlement was reached with the bank.