An Isle of Wight councillor wants the local authority to ‘rebuke’ the Council’s leader on the decision for secrecy over legal discussions surrounding Floating Bridge No. 6.
Last month it was announced the authority had reached a confidential, financial settlement with the boatbuilders and architects of the £3.2 million troubled vessel.
It was the council’s effort to try to recoup some of the money it has spent on the multiple breakdowns, malfunctions, repairs and replacement crossings to keep the service going. However, the council’s ruling Alliance Administration has been criticised for keeping parts of the decision-making process surrounding the legal action quiet.
In a motion to the full Isle of Wight Council that was heard on Wednesday, Councillor Geoff Brodie is asking members to ‘rebuke’ Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox following a decision she made earlier this year which was not made public at the time.
In his motion, Councillor Brodie notes the dispute was settled by mediation and confirms a non-disclosure agreement was signed regarding the details.
He also says the authority to settle the mediation was granted by Councillor Peacey-Wilcox in February this year, in consultation with Councillor Phil Jordan, the cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, to a senior officer through a delegated decision.
A delegated decision is the process of a senior councillor determining a matter that is viewed as key, material or significant without consultation of the full council. Usually, a delegated decision is subject to a call-in period, where councillors have the right to challenge or question the decision that was made.
Councillor Brodie, however, said the delegated decision made by Councillor Peacey-Wilcox 9 months ago was never made known to all councillors through any of her reports to full council, “as should be expected of a transparent and accountable administration”.
Since the announcement was made that the mediation had been settled, the authority has refused to comment or explain further.
In a press release, Councillor Jordan said a new chain ferry remains a possibility but whatever they do must be done correctly to make the service better, reliable and more frequent.
Cllr Brodie once again demonstrates that he should not be in public office. Of course Cllr P-W had to mandate somebody to conclude negotiations and there would be no need to make a song and dance about it. And Cllr Brodie shows that he, and the other nit-pickers, do not understand how tricky commercial negotiation works. Cllr Jordan would have had to choose between agreeing an NDA or not getting a satisfactory settlement. The NDA is to protect the reputations of IW Council’s opponents and their legal teams, not IW Councillors.
Cllr Jordan and his colleagues are to be congratulated for finally closing what their predecessors failed to address for years.
Councilor’s are not employed by IWC and only CEOs or senior officers have power.
It’s all smoke and mirrors the truth will never be fully exposed, those who are fully conversant are hiding in the shadows of county hall, hoping their names aren’t associated with this fiasco, it will become evident at a point in time when someone leaks information, in order to save themself.
As someone always gets thrown to the wolves eventually, fact of Life!!
It would still be interesting to hear what the actual amount of the “satisfactory settlement” received through this mediation actually was – if any – seeing as one of two main Parties involved in the process, conveniently put themselves into liquidation just prior to the actual meeting. It could be that a certain figure was agreed, but actually obtaining it from a company which no longer exists could prove impossible. Hence the need for the Council to provide transparency as promised. Only when the facts are declared will we see if any congratulations are in order.
When it comes to taxpayer money no non-disclosure agreement should be used, to me this poorly run council is hiding something,
I hope the freedom of information act trumps that agreement.
Another back hander
the council have refused the latest update https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/cowes_floating_bridge_settlement?nocache=incoming-2168103#incoming-2168103
It would be very good if the people just stopped using the service… council pockets would slowly empty
Council accounts are available to councilor’s and staff for everything from £3 petty cash to hundreds of thousands of pounds, with some effort and time reading through this, someone will be able to find settlement where Council has paid out ! and spill the beans .
All Amateur’s and an embarrassment to the island .. vote them all out .. “nothing “ is better .. than this shambles .