Last week, OnTheWight published a statement from former council officer, Janet Newton, the officer responsible for overseeing the Cowes Enterprise College project. Mrs Newton chose OnTheWight to make her first public announcement since leaving the council last summer.
Questions have been raised by readers and in the council chamber at last week’s Scrutiny Committee, as to whether Mrs Newton had breached a Compromise Agreement between herself and the Isle of Wight council by speaking publicly.
What the MD says
The one person who could answer that question – the Managing Director of Isle of Wight council, Dave Burbage – was not asked to confirm or deny the fact at last week’s Scrutiny Committee – so OnTheWight asked the MD instead.
Mr Burbage was very clear in his answer, telling OnTheWight,
“My view is that it does not breach the compromise agreement.”
Background
Mrs Newton was suspended from her duties in November 2012 and remained suspended until the summer of 2013. At the end of July 2013, Mrs Newton and colleague (also suspended) were exonerated from any wrong doing.
Mrs Newton’s statement published by OnTheWight last week was in response to a Letter by former council leader, David Pugh. In his letter, Mr Pugh said he regretted the faith he’d placed in the senior council officers overseeing the Cowes project.
At last week’s Scrutiny Committee meeting, members agreed that they would not consider taking part in an Inquiry into Cowes Enterprise College fiasco, unless all paperwork relating to the project was made public.
