Questions asked over Digital City directorship (From Swindon Advertiser)
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Questions asked over Digital City directorship
10:00am Tuesday 16th March 2010 in
CONTROVERSY once again surrounded Swindon’s wi-fi plans last night after questions were raised over the nature of the deal between the council and Digital City.
The decision over the wi-fi service in the town will now return to full council where the appointment of Swindon Council’s group director of business transformation, Hitash Patel to a directorship of the company behind the project, will come under the microscope.
At a meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, sitting at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street, members of the public raised concerns over the paradox between what was included in council-issued documents regarding the wi-fi service – which is partly funded by a council loan to Digital City – and the actions of Mr Patel.
Resident Richard Simmons, of Brampton Court, revealed that Mr Patel was appointed a director of Digital City on September 15, 2009 – almost one month before his involvement had been agreed primarily by two cabinet members and then later by full council.
The revelation suggests that Mr Patel, who was not at last night’s meeting, had no official basis on which to act on behalf of the council as his directorship was yet to be agreed by all members of the authority.
Mr Simmons, in public questions, said: “Given that public confidence in the matter has been damaged by the group director of business transformation, will that gentleman cease his position on the council?”
Committee chair Derique Montaut (Lab, central) said that Mr Simmons would receive a full answer to his question in writing.
He was also quick to point out that there was no suggestion that the leader of the council, Coun Rod Bluh, was aware of the potential conflict of interest.
But Des Morgan, of Carraway Drive, said that, as the briefing note which was later signed off by two cabinet members on October 15 and 20, was prepared by senior council officers, they either did not pass information about the error on or did not notice it.
“It is clear that members of the council at a senior level, the leader and his colleagues and you Mr chairman yourself, were unaware of this appointment and that leads to some very serious questions which should be asked as to the policy of the council.
“Senior officers either knew about it and said nothing or didn’t know about it – which is almost as bad and quite hard to believe.”
Committee members voted unanimously to refer the matter back to Cabinet.
Coun Bluh, said that he felt that any further scrutiny over the matter would not have altered anything.
He added: “But if that’s the decision I must accept that.”
Comments(20)
politicrat
says...
10:53am Tue 16 Mar 10
Bobfm
says...
10:58am Tue 16 Mar 10
All sides have started the denial game. That should be enough for anyone to conclude this whole process has been corrupt.
real -life
says...
11:05am Tue 16 Mar 10
trustnopolitician
says...
11:20am Tue 16 Mar 10
This subject should be referred to the Local Government Ombudsman who just might be able to reveal the truth.
The questions need answering in a factual non political manner - how much, if any , self interest is there in this project by all the individuals involved?
An independent investigation should clear it up, either the Council & individuals acted improperly or they didn't - Swindon people have the right to know one way or the other and soon.
ph1lc
says...
1:18pm Tue 16 Mar 10
politicrat
says...
2:26pm Tue 16 Mar 10
ph1lc wrote:can the swidon voters torpedo this scheme if raising enough signatures?
Unfortunately this is not something the Ombudsman can get involved in.
Democracy......let me dream!
Al Smith
says...
2:40pm Tue 16 Mar 10
Sad Local
says...
3:54pm Tue 16 Mar 10
Geoff Reid
says...
4:04pm Tue 16 Mar 10
See the Talkswindon forum 'WiFi Enquiry' for a fuller picture.
I'll be grabbing a screen shot of these comments for posterity :)
I Too
says...
4:46pm Tue 16 Mar 10
Seems dodgier by the day.
It was bad enough, with a councillor offering, free land , so that a housing development could take place (Coate).
Now this?
Beggars belief
I Too
says...
4:49pm Tue 16 Mar 10
and "brokering a deal, offering free land"
(typing in anger again)
Bobfm
says...
6:08pm Tue 16 Mar 10
itsamess
says...
9:41pm Tue 16 Mar 10
Captain Sensible
says...
12:08am Wed 17 Mar 10
real -life
says...
8:36am Wed 17 Mar 10
ightinabakery, Swindon Cowboy Services and Crapita with their imcompetance and excuse culture covering up for one another. If you thought the wifi deal was bad, you should ask to have a copy of the contract they signed with Crapita, its a peach, Crapita pretty much run this town now and SBC are scared to stop them and then SCS prob rip them off by about £1million a year with shoddy overpriced work or work not done at all which they still charge for. And we wonder why there is a massive black hole in our budget. What we need is real accountability to the people of Swindon who pay these peoples inflated wages and if they can't do the job they should be got rid of and replaced with people who can. I dont think I will be holding my breath though.
politicrat
says...
8:41am Wed 17 Mar 10
itsamess wrote:well lets see how long our rotten council can stay on!?!
Chatting to a business friend he suggests lodging a complaint to the LG Ombudsman would not prove to be the best approach. He is aware the Council has been made aware by another business colleague of the intention to have the legality of the decision to fund this wifi company challenged in the courts--which i would wholeheartedly support. From all the information that has come out over a period of time it most certainly appears the decisions were not above board with the full support of the Council. Now it appears the Council is trying to return to the correct process to get this through. I liken that to a thief who tries to return his ill gotten gains after the culprit has been discovered. We all know who the villain is--i wonder if he will keep his seat at the forthcoming local elections?
I know that I will not vote for any parties LabLibCon all the same! I will vote small or indepedant.
I have had enough of being robbed of my rights and hard earned cash
Bobfm
says...
9:33am Wed 17 Mar 10
When I questioned this as I had driven past the very same location, I was told, well they were there.
real -life
says...
10:12am Wed 17 Mar 10
trevsinclair
says...
8:45am Mon 22 Mar 10
I can't believe that people are still questioning the fact that this should have gone to tender.
This wasn't an SBC idea or project they started... they were approached by a private company to invest and partner with.
There was no need, or requirement under local council governance set out by westminster, for them to go out to tender for such a project.
If SBC had thought of it there would have been a requirement to go out to tender and then the possibility of a non-Swindon business getting the work sending more of our money out of the town.
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SockPuppet says...
10:11am Tue 16 Mar 10
<grab's popcorn and awaits comments>