A widower is unhappy that Islington Council took more than six weeks to cash a cheque he sent for overpayment of his wife’s pension after she died. Brigid Crace was a social worker for Hackney and Islington Councils between 1969-1984.
After she died in July aged 79 the council wrote to Nicholas Crace, 82, and asked for �214.56.
He said: “To then sit on a cheque for more than six weeks without paying it in seems a dreadful waste of council tax payers’ money. During this period it could have been earning useful interest.
“In these days of cuts and austerity this profligacy on the part of Islington Council is nothing short of scandalous.”
Cllr Terry Stacy, leader of the Islington Liberal Democrats, said: “It is a farce that the council harangued a bereaved pensioner for repayment and failed to cash the cheque after months.”
Cllr Richard Greening, council executive member for finance, said: “It did take longer to process than normal, and we have apologised to Mr Crace for this.” He added that it was was an exception to the policy and he would discuss with staff how to improve things.
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