Opposition out of line (From Times Series)

Opposition out of line

10:20am Saturday 4th April 2009 in Opinion

As a member of the working group investigating the Iceland banks deposits, I consider it highly deplorable that certain opposition colleagues in that group saw fit to issue controversial comments to your newspaper well before the report of the group was officially ratified (‘Lib Dems and Labour call for Freer to resign’, March 19). Certain contraventions of the council’s treasury management strategy were indeed identified by the working group. As a consequence, the treasury manager resigned and a full investigation into auditing procedures has been recommended.

Other recommendations have been made by the working group to ensure investment criteria is more carefully monitored and controlled in the future. It is quite typical of Labour and Liberal politicians to jump on a bandwagon at the time of this totally unpredictable banking crisis and call for the leader of the council to resign, but this is little more than a cheap, unimpressive political gesture. The leader would no doubt expect the detailed day-to-day management of financial strategy to be properly implemented by council officers.

If he asks the pertinent questions but is misled, (as would appear to be the case with the Iceland banks) it is hardly fair to suggest that it is he who should carry the can.

Councillor Brian Gordon, Conservative, Hale Ward, Barnet Council