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Councillors have unanimously agreed to accept the findings and recommendations of a critical audit of land deals at Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

The report, which was published earlier this month, said there were "significant failings".

It found two land transactions may not have been granted lawfully.

Councillors met for the first time on Tuesday to discuss the extraordinary audit.

One of the local government auditor's recommendations was that council should "take appropriate action" including referring senior officers to relevant profession bodies.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) group leader John McAuley brought forward an amendment calling on the council to follow an already established disciplinary process as part of its response.

He added that council should seek "regular and detailed co-operation with the Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland."

Independent councillor Padraig McShane told the special council sitting: "We need to look at how this can't happen again."

A separate notice of motion by Mr McShane calling on the chief executive to resign has been referred to the corporate policy and resources committee.

Sinn Féin's Leanne Peacock said: "The serious failings, and actions of officers, identified in the report are simply not acceptable and urgent action is required from council to right these wrongs."

Independent councillor William McCandless said he accepted there were "governance and procedural deficiencies" but questioned what the cost had been to the ratepayer "for all these audits that keep proving no criminality".

In response independent councillor Stephanie Quigley said: "The document is in black and white. We can no longer defend the indefensible."

Alliance Party councillor Chris McCaw said "public confidence has been eroded", while SDLP councillor Margaret Anne McKilliop said "those responsible must be held accountable".

At the time the audit was published, a spokesperson from Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council said: "Time will be required to fully assess the content and recommendations, and for council to consider the next steps.

"Council has already made changes to its land and property procedures and intends to comply with its obligations to ratepayers and stakeholders."