After months of speculation Cheshire East Council has made public the cost of the investigation into the Lyme Green fiasco, which cost taxpayers over £800,000.
The Council has today revealed that the engagement of expert legal advice and of a Designated Independent Person to complete the investigation of allegations about the actions of a number of senior staff at the Council, in connection with the Lyme Green fiasco, has cost £225,000. Bringing the total cost for Cheshire East taxpayers to over £1million.
Council Leader Councillor Michael Jones said: "In setting up this independent investigation, we wanted to ensure that there was a full and robust account of what had actually taken place in relation to Lyme Green.
"We knew in advance that the use of a Designated Independent Person (DIP) would not be a cheap option but, given the level of public concern about the matter, we felt this was a necessary price to pay.
"We have worked closely with the DIP, which has enabled the time taken to complete the review to be shortened, as well as giving us very clear outcomes in his comprehensive report. Actions have been taken or are in hand on all these recommendations.
"We have also engaged the services of an expert legal adviser to assist this process, particularly in supporting the work of our staffing sub-committee, which considered the report of the DIP. The full costs of all this vital work have now been identified as £225,000.
"As promised earlier, we will shortly issue a summary of the findings of the DIP, whose report must remain confidential, and this will demonstrate that we have acted on the lessons to be learned from these unusual events.
"My hope would be that we can now draw a line under this episode and move forward more positively to deliver the very best services we can for the people of Cheshire East."
A review of the Council's proposal to build a recycling station at Lyme Green Depot in Macclesfield, published in June 2012, revealed that the aborted plans have cost Cheshire East taxpayers over £800,000.
The review also confirmed that planning rules were broken, as the main contractor commenced work on the site before planning permission had been granted, officers did not comply with EU Procurement Regulations or ensure there was effective reporting to members of the council.
They also spent beyond the approved budget on the scheme breaking Finance and Contract Procedure Rules. The approved capital budget for the scheme was £650,000, but the total anticipated spend for the Lyme Green scheme at mid-May 2012 was £810,000.
Comments
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Rather regretably there remains a sense that CEC having spent £1,000,000; yes that amount of our money, that could have been spent on filling 10,000 potholes at £100 a time, have yet to name and shame.
That the report ,that we have payed for at a cost of £225,000, "must remain confidential" needs explanation. Your hopes Cllr. Jones, that you "can draw a line under the episode" are without any foundation unless you remove this secrecy.
CEC are spending our money not theirs.
This has the hallmark of Derek Hatton's tainted Liverpool regime!
I say: The councils own internal report made it perfectly clear what had happened. Has he not read it or does he just not understand it.
Council Leader Councillor Michael Jones said "We knew in advance that the use of a Designated Independent Person (DIP) would not be a cheap option but, given the level of public concern about the matter, we felt this was a necessary price to pay.”
I say: A necessary price to pay for what? A report that you don't want anybody to see.
Council Leader Councillor Michael Jones said: "As promised earlier, we will shortly issue a summary of the findings of the DIP, whose report must remain confidential, and this will demonstrate that we have acted on the lessons to be learned from these unusual events.
I say: Council Leader Michael Jones has no right to decide that the report must remain confidential. This will ultimately be decided by the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).
Council Leader Councillor Michael Jones said: "My hope would be that we can now draw a line under this episode and move forward.”
I say: Let's first see the “Summary Report”, and then in time hopefully the full report after a complaint to the ICO for non disclosure.