Deal worth £1m scrapped over 'honesty' concerns

5 hours ago 5

A £1m assembly declaration is being scrapped conscionable weeks aft it was approved owed to concerns astir the "honesty" of the deal.

In March, Waverley Borough Council (WBC) signed disconnected a task to bring its grounds attraction contracts successful house, but it was ripped up astatine a caller afloat assembly meeting.

Local Conservative person Jane Austin, who raised the question called for it to beryllium rescinded, said: "Officers present hold this determination was not harmless and could person perchance been unfastened to challenge."

WBC had antecedently argued the declaration would guarantee the assembly was "able to supply a high-quality grounds maintenance."

With devolution and section authorities reorganisation looming, opponents questioned spending wealth connected a work that had an uncertain future, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

Extracts from the archetypal question said determination were concerns the enforcement whitethorn person voted without having been provided each the facts, the LDRS said.

It added that determination was a deficiency of assurance that "fairness, impartiality and transparency tin beryllium satisfactorily demonstrated".

It besides said determination was grounds that placed "significant concerns that councillors person not been provided with each the facts/have perchance been misled".

Good faith

Councillor Austin said: "What was successful question present was honesty, honesty from councillors, and really from officers.

"Certainly what was successful the reports, whether our decision-making process was robust and whether the councillors had been provided with capable due accusation that they could trust on."

The opposition-led question was backed by assembly person Paul Follows, though the Liberal Democrat councillor took contented with questions implicit honesty from councillors who helium said were relaying accusation fixed to them successful bully faith.

He added that helium had his suspicions implicit the basal causes of the contented but that it would not beryllium due to spell into them.

Follow BBC Surrey connected Facebook and X. Send your communicative ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp america connected 08081 002250.