Last night's meeting of what I call the New Scrutiny Committee - as opposed to the excellent Old Scrutiny Committee - was tremendous. Even with its in-built Tory majority.
The main business was a call-in of a Cabinet-member decision on the future of Shanklin Theatre (right). Everything but the kitchen sink had been thrown at stopping this call in, and I can see why now. Fortunately the call-in was achieved.
The best bit of the questioning of the relevant Cabinet member last night was that by one of our co-optees who knows a thing or two about rescuing theatres. She tore him and his unsubstantiated decision apart and left him squirming and sweating profusely. Very rarely you get moments like this. Cllrs Mosdell and Bishop over Constructionline last December, Cllr Gardiner over Wightcare earlier in 2006. And each time the hairs stand up on the back of my neck as we see real scrutiny an action. If only we had our Old committee back, though I suspect this will be the last time this will be allowed to happen on any form of Scrutiny Committee.
The outcome was a referral back of the decision to the Cabinet member, with a recommendation that he talk further with our co-optee before revising his decision at the end of the month. This went through 6:3 with the votes in favour Cllrs Price (LibDem), Foster (Ind), Bishop & Churchman (Con) and me, plus the aforementioned co-optee Mrs Poston. Against were Tory Cllrs Tuson, Bulwer and Burt - who said he would like to see the theatre knocked down and developed as flats !
2 comments:
Really good meeting last night. Last heard the constitution on Scrutiny is being hurriedly re-written for presentation to full Council. Geoff's brilliant summation has probably sent A. Lowton into orbit. One would think that even to the most naive the ultimate course is to be open and honest as the present Orwellian approach keeps blowing up.
I doubt whether many of you now feature on Pugh's christmas card list !
Burt is as thick as a plank flats we don't need .
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