I wrote about the actual result here and my analysis of the background report is here. It's worth revisiting a few issues while highlighting a big new one.
Let's recall that the membership of the hearing committee was hand picked by the Deputy Chief Exec in consultation with the Chair of the full Standards Committee, which is not normally how things are done. The Committee was comprised of two Labour members (one of whom, Cllr Toby Neal,
The big news here is that two of the independent members voted against letting Grocock off, so the decision was carried by the two Labour members and the Chair of the hearing committee, giving a majority of one. That's democracy for you.
So, despite all of JoCo's public blustering that all of the recommendations of the Public Interest Report were accepted we now in fact have another rejection of one of its key findings. To read about the first one see my post from March 2009. And of course nobody has been held to account and no properties have been recovered.
4 comments:
What are the backgrounds of the independent members and who selected them?
Funny thing is I've just spent half the evening trying to find out. There's no info on the NCC website. The posts have to be publicly advertised and appointments have to be confirmed by full council but I've no idea how the selection process is carried out apart from that.
As for who the individuals are, I wonder if Brian Wells is the local businessman who owns Nottingham Airport and various other property interests in Rushcliffe. There's a Beverley Denby who works for a vol sector parents and carers group but I've no idea if she's the same one. She does also sit on the Fire Authority Standards Committee.
That's all I've been able to find and like I say can't be sure of much of that.
What is so special about Beverley Denby. She also sits on the Fire Department executive - along with Grocock. Does she have Spider Powers? Or is she just in the loop?
Well, she's just an independent member of the Fire Authority's Standards Committee, the same role she has at NCC.
I've no idea what makes her so suitable for standards committees.
Worth reminding that she was one of the members who voted against Grocock being let off and, according to the Post article, she was challenging Grocock's story quite robustly so she's clearly no poodle.
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