The Isle of Wight Labour Party has spoken out against the latest Isle of Wight Council management restructure.
A spokesperson said,
“We appreciate the need for high-quality, professional and skilled management to ensure services can be delivered effectively and safely in light of ongoing Government cuts.
But appointments at the top need to be supported by having trained and properly equipped staff on the ground who are to deliver services and who have the proper resources to do so. £400,000 a year could be used to provide teachers, social workers or staff for the call centre.”
They went on to say,
“You have to question the wisdom of recruiting the senior managers when, for example, the Authority does not have even have the staff to answer the phones to residents.”
Performance must be monitored
Labour believes that the Council also needs to ensure that the performance of these new highly salaried people is monitored and evaluated and with the recent reduction in council meetings, the abolition of Cabinet reports and questions as well as the Employment Committee, which previously had oversight of such senior level appointments, this is a concern.
Lack of transparency
They say the fact the report will not be made public is “an issue of real concern” and “shows an unwillingness to commit to transparency and accountability”.
Cllr Julia Baker-Smith said,
“This delegated decision has been taken without the cross party democratic involvement of previous years that the Employment Committee provided.”
