| COUNCIL SECRECY DEEPLY CORROSIVE |
| Wednesday, 28 November 2007 | |
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John Pugh has condemned the decision for Sefton Council to meet in private this Thursday to consider the fiasco of senior management restructuring which led to the deal in which Graham Haywood , Chief Executive was offered generous severance settlement -a move found to be illegal. He is calling for an open debate on the issue.
The council will meet to discuss only one item called "Sefton 2010". According to the MP, Tory and Labour council leaders are 'running away' from any open discussion of what they are doing. He says: "People who have been on council for some time and used to having a bit of power seem to forget that every penny piece they spend belongs to the public and the public have a right to know what going on. "Its especially important when huge differences to the salaries and pensions bill are at stake. I am sure both press and public are more than mildly interested in the state of Sefton in 2010. "Whereas I recognise that there are sensitivities about the discussion of individuals, it is perfectly possible to discuss and debate openly some of the issues and the principles behind them. At the very least the council can suspend standing orders and let the party leaders explain their position and other members speak. "This secrecy and hush-up is pointless as any member of the public can obtain much of what is undisclosed by submitting a freedom of information request. That' s exactly what I did after the irregularities of the last council meeting and now hold information I am free to put into the public domain. "What this secretive carry on reflects is a cynicism about open public debate and a preference for spinning the story your way after the event." |