In light of the revelations exposed in News OnTheWight’s article about how members of the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) say they were dealt with by the former interim-Monitoring Officer, two Isle of Wight independent councillors have removed themselves from the Appointments Panel for new IRP Panel members.
Cllrs Geoff Brodie (Ind Lab) and Lora Peacey-Wilcox (Island Indie) both say they have “declined to involve themselves in a new process for appointing a fresh IRP”.
Appointments Panel a new thing
The six-member Appointments Panel, which will make recommendations to Full Council for approval, is a new process introduced by the latest Monitoring Officer, Chris Potter.
The Panel includes four Conservatives (including the Leader and Deputy) and two independent councillors.
Brodie: Should return to arms-length process
Cllr Brodie said,
“I have always been a defender of the independence of the IRP and the way in which the previous one has seemingly been misrepresented by a former officer stinks.
“An officer I voted against extending the contract of last February; the only councillor to do so. As a consequence the last thing councillors should be doing is increasing its involvement in the Panel appointment process.
“The ruling Conservative group should ensure we revert to the previous arms-length process of Officer recommendation. Given they are the ones who benefit most from the allowances system, to do anything else would just look very dodgy.”
Peacey-Wilcox: Appalled at the way the outgoing IRP have been treated
Cllr Lora Peacey-Wilcox commented,
“I am appalled at the way the outgoing IRP have been treated. Under Helen Miles (Monitoring Officer prior to October 2019) the system worked well. I hope the new people applying for the posts are now aware before taking up the role.
“I wonder what their reaction would be if their opinion was not sought and then action taken up in the name of the Panel, as has been the case this time?
“Despite being called a ‘coward’ from a male member of the Conservative group for abstaining on the allowances vote, as it turns out my principled stance has proved to be conclusively justified.”
Image: steve_barr under CC BY 2.0
