Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell appears to have breached her city’s expense rules hundreds of times.  A forensic audit has found Fennell and her staff violated spending policies 256 times for close to $132,000 in expenses such as high cost airfare, premium hotel rooms and personal expenses. The audit says another 79 transactions for nearly $156,000 might have breached city rules but not enough information was given.

The audit by Deloitte Canada was released late yesterday after a four month investigation and also found a number of spending violations by members of Brampton City Council.  The audit also cleared Mayor Fennell of using staff since 2010 during business hours to help organize her private fundraising events and found no wrongdoing for her business-related travel to Florida in support of a Sister City agreement.  Fennell has released a statement saying, “I have not read all of the report.  I accept much of what it has to say, but not all of what it has to say … If there are changes that need to be made, I will make them.”

Councillor John Sanderson called for the audit and is running against Fennell in the October election.