After reading an article in the County Press last Friday in which Cllr Roger Mazillius criticised opponents to the Highways PFI, Island resident and journalist, Mike Starke, emailed the following to Cllr Mazillius, copying in all Isle of Wight councillors. Ed
Dear Roger,
According to a report in this week’s Isle of Wight County Press, you seem to have a problem with those of us who have consistently, and we like to think, coherently, called into question the financial viability of the proposed highways maintenance PFI in terms of its impact on Island taxpayers.
Safe in the knowledge you were not to be confronted, you expressed “disappointment” critics such as myself were not present at the meeting of your peers that you were addressing.
Ceased to be amused
Had you checked, you would have found – as others have – that the reason for our absence is that we have ceased to be amused by having serious questions on the PFI responded to by senior councillors with political sound bites rather than sensible clarification.
The last time I had any proper response was at the cabinet meeting of 11 August 2009.
I sought clarification and confirmation of the caveat in a report on the proposed Outline Business Case for the PFI, paragraphs 91 to 95 (if you care to check).
This warned that the IW Council’s (that is, taxpayers’) annual contribution to the PFI contractor(s) would be a priority above other spending and that those areas would have to trim their budgets accordingly for the 25-year duration of the programme.
The answer from Cllr Edward Giles at that time was, as I recall: “Mr Starke is broadly correct.”
Again, Roger; have you checked that?
Director in overall charge very helpful
Stuart Love, the director in overall charge of the PFI project, has always been unfailingly helpful in providing facts and figures to me. I am not aware of him finding the need to resort to cheap jibes as an alternative to reasoned debate.
Compare and contrast.
In an e-mail of 3 March 2011, in response to an enquiry from me, Mr Love – among other things – confirmed the above mentioned August 2009 caveat still applied.
I would welcome the opportunity to share with you my ongoing concerns about the PFI proposal. Perhaps you would care to meet me, face to face, possibly in the company of my ward councillor, Dave Stewart.
… Or maybe face to face isn’t quite your style.
It’s up to you.
Regards,
Mike Starke
