Newport East Isle of Wight councillor, Geoff Lumley (Lab) has resigned as chair of the Scrutiny Committee.
An email (leaked to OnTheWight earlier today) was sent by Cllr Lumley to the leader of the Isle of Wight council, Cllr Ian Stephens, following last night’s Executive meeting.
Lumley: “Undermined and humiliated”
In it, he said the way he was treated at the meeting was “undermining and humiliating”. He admits to overstepping the mark, but says it was “only because I am always angered by injustice and unfairness”.
In the email, sent at 8pm last night, Cllr Lumley raises concern about tonight’s Executive meeting being called without due notice to the public. This is something OnTheWight raised with two officers in the legal department today, but at time to publishing had not received clarification.
He went on to express concern that the Scrutiny Committee would not have the opportunity to re-consider their recommendations in the light of the information that would be made available during the members’ briefing.
Cllr Lumley said,
“I consider this to be an abuse of power. Power that is exercised by 8 members of a Group of 16 members of this 40 member Council.
“In the light of what has been decided by the Executive – and other bizarre examples of decision-making in the last few months – I have decided that I can no longer lead the scrutiny role on this Council, unless you abandon your plans for this meeting tomorrow evening.
“If the meeting goes ahead then my resignation as Chair of Scrutiny will follow and I will return my entire focus to ward matters and opposing abuse of power at County Hall, as I did between 2007-13.”
Lumley: “Administration pays no greater heed to real scrutiny”
In a follow-up email to all members sent this afternoon, Cllr Lumley thanked the Scrutiny Officer and members of the Scrutiny Committee,
“My thanks to current and past members of that Committee since May 2013, who have largely been a pleasure to work with despite our occasional political differences.
“Also my overwhelming thanks to Paul Thistlewood (Scrutiny Officer) who has, for a second period in my 10 years as a councillor, been a stalwart support to my aspiration for real accountability
“It is apparent to me that this administration pays no greater heed to real scrutiny than previous administrations.”
