From a correspondent:
An extraordinary meeting of East Devon District Council was held on July 11th to approve an independent report by respected investigations company Verita, into how pedophile John Humphreys was able to continue serving as a Tory councillor for years while under investigation by the police for the sexual abuse of two boys.
Despite the emotive content, the meeting was conducted in a generally dignified manner as requested by the Chair. The report was unanimously approved by councillors and its recommendations welcomed.
The biggest surprise of the evening was the frank admission from David Scott, one of the Verita authors, that “it was a trial for us to get information“ from Mark Williams, the CEO and four other senior officers.
In reply to questions from a member of the public and councillors, Mr Scott revealed:
- the CEO objected from the start to the appointment of Verita, questioning their competence to undertake the investigation, and suggesting they would not be impartial. He told Mr Scott that he did not think proper procurement had been followed and “would intervene” by commissioning a report from external auditors, Grant Thornton.
- Mark Williams insisted that he and his senior officers should first meet the investigators not individually but as a group. This surprised Verita who considered it “not appropriate”
- subsequently the CEO and the other officers declined to be interviewed face-to-face but would only reply to written questions. Mr Scott thought this “was very unusual for individuals not to accept to be interviewed” and was “frustrating for us as investigators”.
He concluded it was “odd” that it was so difficult to extract information from public bodies such as EDDC.
Many readers of the Verita report would agree.
East Devon Watch 
So if I have got this right, the Conservative councillors and EDDC officers closed ranks to avoid being interviewed, and somehow key paperwork has “gone missing” – and the obvious question is whether someone (perhaps one or more of these councillors or officers) made them disappear?
My overall impression here is that the Conservative councillors and the EDDC officers have successfully obstructed this investigation in order to avoid accountability for their behaviour.
Personally I feel that their unwillingness to be open in this investigation is an absolute disgrace – and goes against the Nolan Principles – as is their unwillingness to resign in shame, and for those still in office a vote of no confidence should be made against each and every one of them at the earliest possible opportunity.
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