There was a letter in the local press last week querying why the Overview & Scrutiny Committee didn’t stop the District Council buying Westenhanger Castle. As two of our councillors sit on that committee we thought it would be helpful to respond to that question.
Unfortunately the Overview & Scrutiny committee cannot stop the council from doing anything – it can only make recommendations to cabinet.
But in this case , it was not even given the chance to scrutinise the decision as it was authorised by cabinet decision C/18/44 made last November. This decision was: “That subject to the council approving the additional borrowing recommended the Corporate Director – Place and Commercial be authorised, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Cabinet Member for Finance and the Cabinet Member for Property Management and Environmental Health to acquire property in the Otterpool Park Garden Town area”.
The officer’s report that supported this recommendation made no reference to the castle.
Here is yet another example of why we need the transparency and accountability that the Green Party called for at the local elections, and which we will continue to fight for.
