At last night’s (Tuesday) Corporate Scrutiny Committee, concerns were raised about members being given just three days to analyse thousands of pages of reports in relation to the imminent school closures decision.
A motion proposed by Councillor Geoff Brodie, to call for a delay of two weeks on the Cabinet decision to close five primary schools due to surplus places, was unanimously agreed by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee.
The motion reads,
“Corporate Scrutiny Committee (CSC) notes that it received the circa 1,700 page Cabinet report and appendices on School Place Planning for its Agenda item 6a. just 3 full working days before tonight’s Committee meeting. Papers for Committees are legally supposed to be published at least 5 full working days beforehand, with the accompanying publication of background papers being considered to be good practice for effective and meaningful scrutiny. There are also even more pages (circa 2,000) within the accompanying confidential appendices.
“CSC also notes from the Cabinet report, para 2, that,
‘The information (in the report) has been shared early to allow Cabinet Members additional time to read and understand the information ahead of any decision being considered’.
“CSC considers that it has been treated shamefully and that any effective and meaningful scrutiny of this momentous decision-making is open to ridicule. Another example of how Cabinet governance is discredited on this Council and why it will be abolished in May.
“CSC resolves to urge the Cabinet to postpone decision-making on school places by two weeks until 20th March, when there is already a scheduled meeting, and resolves to convene a special meeting of CSC for 18th March. This will allow effective and meaningful scrutiny to be undertaken.
“Should Cabinet not agree to postponement then CSC agrees to oppose the proposed closure of 5 named schools on the grounds that no effective or meaningful scrutiny has been facilitated by the Council leadership.”
Blake: If Cabinet proceeds this week, they will be doing so without proper scrutiny
Councillor Ed Blake, leader of the Conservative group of Isle of Wight councillors, told OnTheWight,
“As a member of Corporate Scrutiny, I was pleased to support Councillor Geoff Brodie’s motion at last night’s committee meeting regarding the school closures decision.
“Having been given only three working days to scrutinise a report containing thousands of pages, the Committee concluded that it had not been given sufficient time to conduct proper scrutiny. As a result, the Committee resolved that it would require an additional two weeks to complete this process to a satisfactory level.
“The Cabinet, made up of members from the Independent and Green Alliance Group, chose not to provide the Corporate Scrutiny Committee with the necessary papers in a timely manner.
“If the Cabinet proceeds with the vote on Thursday to close schools, they will be doing so without proper scrutiny. That is their decision.”
