Cllr Andy Sutton Suspended For Six Months

The tribunal hearing the case for Cllr Andy Sutton, ex-leader of the council’s involvement with the Craven Court planning application, has today announced it’s notice of decision, a full report is yet to be released.

Cllr Andy Sutton Suspended For Six MonthsThe tribunal has declared that Cllr Sutton should be suspended from the Isle of Wight Council for six months for failing to declare an interest in the planning application, for improperly seeking to influence the decision with a senior planning officer and for bringing his position as Leader and the council into disrepute.

Cllr Sutton’s suspension will start on 1 February 2010.

Code of Conduct Training
The tribunal also made the recommendation that further training should be provided for Members of the Council on the Code of Conduct.

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Shobba
22, January 2010 2:19 pm

A real shame for all concerned. I think they have this wrong. I do also wonder how anyone would be barmy enough to stand as a councillor these days. It looked to me like in-fighting and ambition caused the investigation to happen and be prolonged. The original application was done openly, not behind closed doors. I’d bet next time we’ll never hear a word about any councillor’s… Read more »

Cllr Geoff Lumley (Labour)
22, January 2010 5:49 pm

I don’t know about IW Councillors from other groups, but I feel pretty insulted by the Standards Tribunal recommendation that all councillors require training on “enabling Councillors to recognise when they have personal and prejudicial interests and on the interaction between Members and Officers of the Council” just because Sutton was too stupid to see that what he was doing back in 2007 was plain wrong.

N0.5
Reply to  Cllr Geoff Lumley (Labour)
22, January 2010 6:06 pm

I might be wrong here but was not the case all about change of usage of a hotel owned by a councillor into a house (or converted to flats) in an area designated for tourism.

Have this council not just granted exactly that to the Fairlee Hotel, just around the corner in the same designated area

James P
Reply to  Cllr Geoff Lumley (Labour)
23, January 2010 12:44 pm

“enabling Councillors to recognise when they have personal interests”

Like you wouldn’t know if you weren’t trained!

Sadly, any failure of common-sense is now dealt with by new rules, laws, or ‘re-education’.

I’m still sorry this happened, though. If Andy Sutton was still leader, we wouldn’t have had Pugh or the educational ‘reforms’. Hah!

Shobba
22, January 2010 7:15 pm

Some years ago it was the policy of iwcouncil never to allow hotels to become flats. Trouble is that policy bankrupted small hoteliers. Many old style hotels around the island have of course become flats. What exactly was the problem with this particular proposal? If it didn’t meet guidelines why did officers not suggest the plan was changed to enable it to be approved, perhaps they did?… Read more »

N0.5
Reply to  Shobba
22, January 2010 9:06 pm

and a huge bill we have to pay

N0.5
Reply to  N0.5
22, January 2010 9:09 pm

I’m not a fan of these ‘protected areas’ and beleive all cases should be judged on their merit. The owners of Fairlee have allowed it to fall into a state of dis-repair..so now the council will allow the change of use because it is an eyesore. This is wrong The owners should be forced to bring it up to a certain state and then have the pros… Read more »

Don Smith
Reply to  N0.5
23, January 2010 11:04 am

Whilst suspended do they receive their pay and perks? If they do, it means in effect that they are on paid leave for that period.

Personally, I’d give them all the sack, but I suppose that’s not within THEIR rules.

amphion
Reply to  Don Smith
23, January 2010 12:40 pm

No Don they do not get pay or perks, only paid officers of the council have that perk.

Shobba
23, January 2010 4:07 pm

I hear the schools reorganisation is about to implode. Now that Cllrs Sutton and Joyce are suspended methinks the great leader Pugh has lost his majority? Does this mean another change at the top? The consequences of this investigation may yet useat another leader! How exciting. Next few days could be very interesting.

Rush
Reply to  Shobba
23, January 2010 5:33 pm

Do you think the spotlight should be put on the person/persons who gained through this?

Anna
Reply to  Shobba
23, January 2010 6:18 pm

Patrick Joyce was not part of the Tory group so his suspension will make no difference to the majority. Sutton is part of the majority but there are enough of them to keep the administration going. Not much prospect of a new leader I’m afraid. They’ve got enough silent but obedient nodding dogs to keep them going.

Don Smith
Reply to  Anna
23, January 2010 10:09 pm

You get what you vote for – we need more GENUINE Independents, both at National and Local level.

Why should a handful of party members and ‘Wisteria Dave’ select who we can vote for?

Anna
Reply to  Don Smith
23, January 2010 11:02 pm

Before old chestnuts like ” we need more independents” get trotted out too much, have a look at the history of “independents” on the Island (and elsewhere). So many of them make damn all contribution in meetings; or they take the king’s shilling and just go with whoever can/will offer them some post that has prestige so they then vote with the majority no matter what. Then… Read more »

N0.5
Reply to  Anna
24, January 2010 9:32 am

Anna you left out the word ‘genuine’….but if you had included it you wouldn’t have had a point

Robbo
Reply to  Anna
24, January 2010 10:08 am

What is a ‘genuine’ independent ? To get anything done in a Council or at Westminster you have to work with other people, which immediately leads to compromise.What was the first thing the latest batch of ‘independents’ did at County Hall ? They formed a ‘group’ with the common bond of ‘independence’. A total contradiction in terms. Of course ‘grouping’ (aka political parties) is the system by… Read more »

Robbo
Reply to  Anna
24, January 2010 3:55 pm

What is a ‘genuine’ independent ? To get anything done in a Council or at Westminster you have to work with other people, which immediately leads to compromise.What was the first thing the latest batch of ‘independents’ did at County Hall ? They formed a ‘group’ with the common bond of ‘independence’. A total contradiction in terms. Of course ‘grouping’ (aka political parties) is the system by… Read more »

Shobba
24, January 2010 12:37 pm

Charles Chapman and Harry Rees both chopped and changed over the years but were definitely Liberals. Roger Mazillius did the same as a Tory. From memory, they were all Hokey-Cokey councillors. In-out-in-out. The Island First coalition comprised so called independent Liberals and Official Liberals. Added in with a few others. It was a mess. The electorate mostly feels cheated when the parties they vote for stitch up… Read more »

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