An audit published last week by the Madeira Regional Section of the Court of Auditors found several irregularities in support granted by the Regional Government to the 43 Casas do Povo of Madeira during 2022 and 2023. The report said no financial infractions were detected, but it identified problems including double funding, missing procedure manuals, and delays in recovering surplus funds. Of the approximately €7 million transferred in total, half went to the Support Programme for the Guarantee of Social Stability (PROAGES), while a third covered operating costs and local social, economic, and cultural initiatives. Around 10%, or approximately €676,000, was used to promote culture and traditions linked to agriculture and rural life. The Court focused on the Casas do Povo in Ponta do Sol and Curral das Freiras, where it found expenses had been submitted to different funding bodies at the same time to justify cumulative support. It also noted that four community centres — Camacha, Câmara de Lobos, Ponta do Sol, and Curral das Freiras — lacked accounting systems that separated spending by funding source. The Court of Auditors recommended stronger internal controls, clearer instructions to prevent double funding, faster PROAGES restitution, and separate financial reporting for events in the two audited community centres, with compliance updates due by the 30th of November 2026.
