The Review Inspectors
are extremely knowledgeable. Some are senior Council managers with years of hands
on experience. Others are serving, or ex, councillors with track records of
leading councils across the Country. Their job is to evaluate how the Councils they review are performing
in relation to setting priorities for
the local area, financial planning, political and managerial leadership,
governance and decision making and organisational capacity. At the end of the
process a report is produced by the Inspectors which says how well, or otherwise,
the Council is doing and what it might need to do to become better. Councils are expected to publish their Review reports so
that residents can see for themselves how well their Town Hall is doing.
In Thanet’s case the
Inspectors looked at reams of TDC documentation
before their visit in March, in what is called a “desktop audit”. This was followed by a 3 day visit to Thanet where
the Inspectors interviewed Council staff and councillors and sat in on a number
of meetings. I had a one hour interview with 2 Inspectors which I must say was very thorough
and quite challenging. It was clear to me that the Inspectors were the real
deal. They were not in Margate on a tick-box
exercise or jolly bureaucrats outing. They
were here to do a proper job of work.
After their visit the
Inspectors produced a draft report which
was sent to the Council’s Chief
Executive and Leader almost three weeks
ago. Since then silence!
I have asked to see a
copy of the draft report. My request was denied. 0n 24th April there is a Full Council
meeting. Yet despite the fact that the Council’s Chief Executive and Leader will
have been sitting on the draft Peer Review report for
almost one month when the Council meets, this critically important document has
not been included on the agenda of that
meeting. The 56 democratically elected Thanet
District Councillors have a right to see
the draft report. There is no legal reason why this report can be hidden or withheld
from them.
Of course the Chief Executive
and Leader will rightly claim that they
are checking the content of the draft report. But surely that can’t take a
month or longer. This is an independent report and Thanet Council bosses or political leaders cannot veto or change the views arrived at by
the Inspectors, otherwise the whole purpose of the review would be an utter nonsense.
The only thing the Council can do is to
put right any factual inaccuracies and correct a few spelling mistakes and
typos. This is a process which should only take a couple of days, especially bearing
in mind the critical importance of the
review. But here we are approaching a
month after the draft was received by TDC and its still locked away in the Council’s safe? Why?
I can only assume
that the report is locked away because it
contains bad news. In fact rumours are already circulating that the report
includes some very bad news indeed, especially regarding the managerial and
political leadership of Thanet Council.
It’s mere speculation on my part but issues like secrecy, cover-up, maladministration,
bullying, rock-bottom morale, will probably feature large in this report. In
light of ongoing problems regarding TransEuropa Ferries, Dreamland, East Kent Opportunities,
Planning investigations, and Skateparks,
the last thing the Chief Executive and Council Leader want is a report slamming
the organisation they are responsible for running. So, in typical Thanet
Council style, why not watch your
backsides and save your well paid jobs by hiding the report until the things
gets a little better.
Shame on Thanet
Council and its secretive, unaccountable bosses. I publically challenge you to
publish the draft report of the Peer Review in it is full unedited version
right now. For once be open honest and truthful. The people who pay your wages
and allowances have a democratic right to know if you are providing value for money or not.
Ian. Did members of the public have the opportunity of participating?
ReplyDeleteIn a meeting I attended an inspector shared how surprised he was at the unusually high number of corporate ambitions compared to other LGAs. He seemed concerned about this. I wonder if this has been highlighted in the report?
ReplyDeleteWe have a freedom of Information request about this very thing. This report is important and needs to be seen.
ReplyDeleteWell said Ian: the Council and public should see the report. Is it available from the LGA if TDC attempt the secrecy trick?
ReplyDeleteWorrying though they were relying on TDC documents: those are a mix of laughable and lies.ow did the public participate?
Have the EKO documents/costs been revealed?
A regular FOI on the Council agenda would be useful to prise out the information.
It's very simple. If the councillors of Thanet wanted this report made public they have the power to make it happen. If the report isn't being made public it is because it is being suppressed by the councillors of Thanet. An emergency motion needs to be put forward placing this item on the agenda for the next Council meeting. The name of the person who blocks it should be made public. If it isn't blocked a motion needs to be put forward for it to be published. The names of all councillors who vote against this motion should be published. The voters of Thanet are entitled to know who is involved in this cover-up.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the good of the Local Govt Association on the one hand looking at reams of TDC produced documentation and listening to TDC employed staff, when on the other they do not invite input from the public they are supposed to serve?
ReplyDeleteLet’s face it we know full well how selective TDC can be when it comes to providing documentation under the FOI Act, so you can bet the reams of documentation were well vetted before they were handed over.
Wouldn't wait for an election to pass first would they. About the only thing that they would pass at, test wise.
ReplyDeleteIt appears the report has now been published and and even reported on by the BBC.
ReplyDeleteAs it also appears that you have not come out of the report particularly well Mr Driver. Will you now be considering your past behaviour, and modifying it in future so that you can start to make a contribution to TDC, rather than servicing your own particular issues and agenda?
Your comments would be most illuminating.