Berwick Town Council Staffing Meeting Stockholm Syndrome alive and well ..! I have just attended the Council Staffing Meeting to make a statement during the public session before the discussions started of, what are legitimately deemed, confidential items (staffing matters). The points I made were; 1, I repeated my request for the staffing sub-committee to stand down due to their complete mismanagement of the situation since September with one of their big failings being a lack of communication/dialogue. 2, I said that because they have been operating as a closed shop and concealed things, things have exploded in the public domain like a physical force. I said this concealment has allowed misinformation to flourish and, despite the inappropriateness of the public spats, at least then these issues have been aired. 3, I said that I did not think, that in our circumstances, the concentration of influence within the staffing sub-committee (like the tourism forum) is the best model to get us out of the mess but we would still be better to replace the staffing sub-committee with a new, more objective team. 4, I said that there has been a lack of communication between the staffing sub-committee and the wider staffing committee and sub groups must not supersede the role of the committee they were formed from. I asked how much information has been shared with the wider Staffing committee...? (I also criticised the fact that the staffing sub-committees minutes/recommendations had only being tabled on the night - the clear intention being to put this through, like so many things, on the nod) 5, I pointed out that on several occasions independent advice has not been followed. 6) I said that the one person (she who cannot be named) they are taking advice from is the wrong person. The Chair of Staffing denied that they had ignored independent advice even though I could reel off several examples and Cllr Jones suggested moving on, none of my other points were addressed... The Chair of Staffing also seemed to use confidentiality as justification for keeping the wider Committee in the dark (even though they are expected to ratify their decisions..) I left when the motion was passed to exclude the press and public. I said that it was not appropriate either for any members of staff to be present during the discussions, I am not sure whether they left, I expect not ..! When I left, I muttered under my breathe shambles. Which, I am sure is precisely what many members of the public have thought leaving Council meetings over the last few months...
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 18:50:31 +0000
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