At last night’s Scrutiny Committee meeting, Executive member for Children’s Services and Education, Cllr Richard Priest (Ind), questioned the value of a public inquiry into the Cowes Enterprise College project.
He was presenting an interim report, headed for next week’s Executive (what was formerly the Cabinet), calling for approval of £357,000 extra funding to complete the Cowes Enterprise College.
No public inquiry?
When discussing holding accountable those responsible for failures arising during the development of the project, Cllr Priest told members of the committee,
“I am very mindful that many of the officers and certainly many of the councillors involved in the decision making process are no longer here to ask those questions of, so getting the answers is going to be difficult.
“However frustrating it is, and certainly it is with Cowes parents and the Isle of Wight community … however desirable it may be to hold these people to account – and rightly so – what is the value of that process if it’s going to be a cost to this council in terms of having that public inquiry .. and will it benefit the students now or in the future?
“So getting some of those answers isn’t easy, and if we got them, what would we do with them?”
Blezzard: Beynon and Pugh invited back
Later in the meeting it was suggested by Cllr Blezzard (Ind) that former leader of the Conservative council, David Pugh and former IWC CEO and head of schools, Steve Beynon, be called to answer to the Scrutiny Committee.
He said,
“I take issue with Cllr Priest saying ‘let’s not look at it, it might be difficult.’
“The people who were ultimately responsible, both at the political level and statutory director are no longer at the council, but I think we should be inviting them back to answer questions from this committee.
“Both Mr Beynon and Mr Pugh should be invited back. I think it would be extremely helpful if they did, because it’s not good simply scape-goating officers further down the food chain.”
Unprofessional wording
Cllr Dave Stewart (Con) agreed there was a case to be look at the journey of the project, as he said, “there appears to have been unprofessional wording around the contract.”
Cllr Priest replied to points raised saying,
“I do accept the need to look into this more thoroughly and this is the practical forum to do that. I’m mindful that the priority we have is to do the right thing going forward and make sure that our children are attending school.
“We recognise that there are appropriate forums for that scrutiny of the individuals that may have called to be held to account for this.”
Call to ‘justify commitments’
He added,
“One request in terms of the Cowes public meeting, that there be an independent chair that can ask these same people to attend and for them to justify their commitments to the people of Cowes and this Island at that forum.
“People need to be held to account for the promises they’ve made over a period of time and the commitment made to delivering this project. I’m sure they will, if they’re true to their word, be able to attend.”
Some weeks until public meeting
OnTheWight contacted Cllr Priest this afternoon to find out when the Cowes public meeting would take place and whether it would include issues such as; budget overspend, staffing restructure and school improvement, as well as looking at the building project.
He avoided answering whether those issues would be covered in the public meeting, but advised that the meeting would be arranged for later in April sometime after the Easter holidays.
