Audit Scotland - 2010 report

[Spinner72]

Whoever is leaking the info are doing us a service this is not true of some of the other councillors.

 

Would you say the same if it was personal details relating to yourself or your family?

 

How can anyone trust a councillor to serve them properly if they do not have the basic integrity to observe simple rules and common sense. The fact is was a draft report only serves to underline the stupidity of such actions.

[Ghostrider]

^^ Regradless of how employment rules may or may not be interpreted, IMHO the office of CE should be open to public scrutiny. After all the CE is the face and mouth of the council on a day to day basis. The CE may be answerable only to the council, and not the electorate, but the only way the electorate can ensure the council is looking after there best interests on a day to day basis when it is wholly entrusted in to the hands of the CE, and ensure the elected members address any issues of concern, is to be fully aware of what the CE is saying and doing at all times.

 

Specific to this case, Clark was quite happy to elevate himself above the status of "just an employee" so that he could bend the SIC employment rules to cover his own ass, yet now is doing his damnest to hide behind the letter of them. Life is not like that in my world, if someone through their actions demonstrates that certain rules do not really apply to them when it suits them, they will find that payback comes in the form of not being able to hide behind the same rules when they would wish to do so. Fair's fair, as I see it, they set the terms, and they'll just have to live by them. To that end, I have no problem with someone else bending the same rules as Clark himself bent to save his own ass, but this time to make sure he can't hide behind them to save it. What goes round, comes round.

[Spinner72]

I completely agree regarding the requirement for openness, but there is a difference bewteen (in this instance) publishing a finished, accurate report, and leaking an innacurate draft.

 

Edit - but then, such reports are regularly published on the council website and are a matter of public record, as is a vast majority of the day to day council affairs.

 

They just don't make good tabloid style headlines/stories

[Ghostrider]

^^ Yup, point taken, and agreed. The leaking of a draft report ahead of the finished version being published, achives very little unless making un-necessary waves and feeds sensationalism.

[Para Handy]

Well Mr.clark is feeling hard done by then

Well not as much as the Public purse was by £250.000

If it had been done right he would have just got the boat fair

Of the island in one direction

 

If he wants sympathy he will find it in the dictionary Between Sh*t and Syphilis

[bresail]

Whoever is leaking the info are doing us a service this is not true of some of the other councillors.

 

"Would you say the same if it was personal details relating to yourself or your family?"

 

Yes, I would say the same and would not cry out if if something was found that was derogatory to me, as long as it was true. If untrue I would defend myself vigorously and lawfully.

My life is an open book and if anyone wants to know more about me, all they have to do is ask me and I will answer truthfully.

 

"How can anyone trust a councillor to serve them properly if they do not have the basic integrity to observe simple rules and common sense. The fact is was a draft report only serves to underline the stupidity of such actions."

 

 

How can anyone trust a councillor that does not have the integrity to let us know what is wrong with our elected and employed members of the SIC?

Should they be forced to keep quiet until the problems that we obviously have, escalate.

This is how a dictatorship functions!

I do however agree with Spinner that we should have waited until the full report was published.

Regards,

Rex.

[Evil Inky]

My life is an open book and if anyone wants to know more about me, all they have to do is ask me and I will answer truthfully.

You'll have no problem letting us know your bank account details and how often you have sex, then.

[tarhellja]

I cannot believe that yon man has had the audacity to put his head above the parapet again. Obviously totally incorrigible!

[Para Handy]

Well an update to my above

 

Departure of Shetland council boss cost £300,000

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/8665056.stm

[skaterboy]

Now that the report is out and it is critical of the lack of leadreship. will said leader do the decent thing and stand down as convener and retire before he does any more damage to Shetland?

[paulb]

not a chance he is a politician.

[jz]

If anyone want to read the final report you can at

http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/local/2010/sr_100506_shetland.pdf

[bresail]

"You'll have no problem letting us know your bank account details and how often you have sex, then."

 

Unfortunately both bank and sex details are at zero.

 

I am however, applying for a top job on the council and if I get the post both finances and sex life could improve dramatically.

I'll keep you in the loop.

Regards,

Rex.

[jz]

After having read and considered the report, I think it is in the best interest of the people of Shetland for Sandy Cluness to resign his position as Convenor of the SIC.

 

To be fair to Mr Cluness, he appears to want this himself.

 

... Mr Cluness said that if any councillor could command a majority then he would happily hand over the reins.

Source: http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/2010/May/news/Cluness%20calls%20for%20public%20hearing.htm

 

So, what we need is a councillor willing to take leadership of the council, and we also need the other councillors to give the new Convenor his or her support. Nobody should grandstand, but for once work cooperatively for the good of Shetland.

 

My preference - Iris Hawkins. She is experienced, clear headed and not aligned to any faction.

 

Action of some kind is needed, as the Audit Scotland report could hardly have been clearer - the status quo will not work.

[Spinner72]

Lets not forget all 22 councillors are criticized in the report for failure in leadership, rightly so, as most of the problems stemmed from full council decisions.

 

"Elected members have not demonstrated their ability to set and maintain a clear and strategic direction.”

 

I do agree, however, with Cluness (Shetland News, 6th May) that a public hearing is required, if for no other reason than to remind everyone of the individual councillors who really caused the problems.