WHO MONITORS THE MONITORS?
If you are a parish, town or district councillor who gets on the wrong side of East Devon District Council’s Monitoring Officer and the controversial “Standards Board” who will be the “independent” person appointed to investigate, report and recommend a verdict and sanction?
Step forward Mr Tim Darsley, for whom these little dramas have been a welcome source of income since he took a six figure redundancy payment from West Wiltshire Council in 2009. Mr Darsley is the go-to person for EDDC and has been paid consultancy fees for a good number of cases over the years.
So, who is Mr Darsley and what makes him uniquely qualified for this job?
Darsley’s title in West Wiltshire was Corporate Director Planning Services and Monitoring Officer. An interesting combination of responsibilities, one our EDDC officers and senior councillors EDDC might well relish.
Here is background:
“THE creation of a single Wiltshire council next month will cost the taxpayer £5.5 million in redundancy packages.
Altogether 29 redundancies will be made when the four district and one county councils merge into a single unitary council on April 1.
The five employees being made redundant from West Wiltshire District Council will share a £950,000 redundancy payout.
Last July the implementation executive, which included councillors representing all five councils, agreed to introduce a redundancy package for staff.
It was decided that any council worker losing their job as a result of the merger would receive four times the redundancy package owed to them. A budget of £7 million was agreed. The amount offered is decided using a formula, which includes length of service, age, salary and years left to retirement.
The five being made redundant from West Wiltshire are Ian Gallin, acting chief executive; Ian Jamieson, finance director; Sharon Larkin, human resources director; Nicola Mathieson, head of legal services and Tim Darsley, corporate director planning and monitoring officer. …
… West Wiltshire leader Cllr Graham Payne said: “It’s difficult to see how the county council can claim that they are saving money for the taxpayer when the redundancy costs throughout the county are £5.5 million.”
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/headlines/4219278.__5_5m_payout_as_jobs_go_at_councils/
Evidence from a Freedom of Information request in 2013 showed that, over a 2 year period Mr Darsley’s services were used no less than 14 times with one investigation costing just over £1,400:
“1. Please can you tell the total cost of the EDDC investigation into the complaint made against Cllr Eileen Wragg brought by Richard Cohen, Deputy Chief Executive, which was heard by the Standards Committee
The total cost paid to the Investigating Officer was £1405.86 (including VAT)
Undertaking investigation and preparing report into complaint: £900
Attendance by Investigating Officer at hearing – preparation and attendance: £420
Travel (@45p per mile): £85.86
These costs do not include officer time.
2. How many times has Tim Darsley been used by EDDC to conduct independent investigations into complaints made against councillors?
14 (2011 – 2013)
3. Have any other independent investigators been used by EDDC in the last two years to conduct independent investigations into Councillors?
No”
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/cost_of_investigation
In police forces officers are frequently moved to avoid institutionalisation and the danger of becoming too identified with one team.
Might it be time for EDDC to employ some fresh monitoring eyes and ears?
East Devon Watch 