So, now that you've gotten acquainted with the five lapses by Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council that they need to fix ASAP, here is a timeline of the key events in the past year that culminated to the Auditor-General's report, as recounted by The Straits Times on Feb. 10, 2015.

It all started this day last year:

Feb. 10, 2014:

Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) submits its audited FY2012/13 accounts to the Minister for National Development six months late and after seven reminders.

Feb. 13:

The Ministry of National Development (MND) expresses concern that it is the second year that AHPETC's auditors had made a submission with a note saying they were unable to fully verify accounts.

Feb. 14:

AHPETC chairman Sylvia Lim says the MND's statement is incomplete and misleading, as the Workers' Party has not been able to get data from the former managing agent after it took over Aljunied GRC in 2011, as well as from the authorities like the MND.

MND points out that the auditors raised 13 issues of concern, four of which were made a year earlier and which AHPETC had promised to fix but had not.

The remaining nine issues, such as its failure to transfer monies to the sinking fund, have nothing to do with handover issues.

Feb. 19:

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Mninister Tharman Shanmugaratnam directs the Auditor-General's Office (AGO) to audit AHPETC's accounts.

March 7:

AHPETC is given a red grade, the worst rating, for corporate governance, in a government report on the performance of town councils.

Nov. 5:

The annual town council report shows AHPETC is the only one to get red scores, for corporate governance (second year in a row) and service and conservancy charge (S&CC) arrears management (third year running).

Nov. 7:

Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee says AHPETC's finances may be worse than stated. Its shocking arrears rate of 29.4 percent means 39,000 households are subsidising 16,000 households that did not pay their S&CC.

Nov. 10:

Lim says AHPETC is studying the data on its overdue S&CC and will address the issues after the AGO completes the audit of its financial statements.

She says AHPETC was unable to submit S&CC reports required by MND as its finance team was preparing documents for the AGO.

Nov. 13:

MND points out that AHPETC stopped submitting monthly S&CC arrears reports after April 2013.

Dec. 5:

A WP tender for a managing agent for AHPETC closes after three weeks without a bid from any company, including its current agent.

Dec. 9:

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Won says WP's continuing silence on AHPETC's poor performance rating suggests bigger problems.

Dec. 10:

Lim replies that AHPETC has already explained to MND its problems in submitting reports. She adds that "more productive discussions can be entered into" after the AGO's findings.

Dec. 11:

MND's Lee says WP's failure to give answers calls into question its leaders' reputation and integrity.

Dec. 12:

Lim reiterates that it will account for AHPETC's handling of the S&CC arrears and adds that WP will leave the matter for the people to judge.

Jan. 14, 2015:

WP takes steps to collec some S&CC it is owed.

Jan. 26:

WP says human error accounts for AHPETC's erroneous reporting of high arrears rate. AHPETC's latest S&CC arrears rates as of end-September last year is 5.66 percent for homes, and 7.24 percent for businesses. (Refer to Nov. 7, 2014 date above)

And it has come to this on Feb. 9, 2015: 5 lapses by Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council they need to fix ASAP (Summary)

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