Time to put an end to excuses

1.58.28pm GMT Wed 25th Feb 2009

Judith Lubbock

In a letter to the Norwich Evening News Judith Lubbock, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Eaton, criticises the continued excuses of the Labour administration over their handling of the Greyhound Opening housing scandal.

Dear Editor,

Cllr Bert Bremner's letter (Evening News 12.2 'Good intentions about homes')contains protestations that the Labour Council did nothing wrong regarding the Greyhound Opening housing scandal. This explains why not one politician has taken any responsibility for the grave mistakes made.

Cllr Morphew, the Leader of the council, has accepted that his portfolio covered the Greyhound Opening decommissioning and redevelopment. However, he says that during an 18 month period he did not ask the then Head of Strategic Housing Kris Reeves who has since been sacked, any questions about how the decommissioning was going despite it being a very sensitive issue - rehousing elderly residents to make way for redevelopment. Instead of asking questions he says his way of managing was to leave it to the officer to 'come to him' if they had any problems. What a pity for all concerned, especially the reputation of this council, that Cllr Morphew chose this ineffective form of management and in doing so can now say that he knew nothing of what was going on!

If no politician exercised oversight of this project then what were the senior officers doing? The Cabinet system places responsibility in the hands of a ruling few and pays them allowances accordingly, these Executive Councillors take credit when things go well but it seems do not take responsibility when things go wrong. Instead they hide behind the excuse that they knew nothing.

This is why the Liberal Democrats continue to call for a full independent inquiry to bottom out this question of responsibility of both officers and politicians and to put in place effective management.

Judith Lubbock

Liberal Democrat Councillor

Unthank Road

Norwich