Agenda and draft minutes

RESOLVED that Councillor Chris Barnham be elected Chair for the Municipal

Year 2017-18.

None were made.

The report was introduced by the Chair who explained the background to the

inquiry which arose following serious allegations made about the proposed

New Bermondsey CPO and monies pledged to the Surrey Canal Sports

Foundation Trust. Various claims had been made that officers and elected

members had acted improperly which had attracted widespread publicity.

Such allegations clearly could not be left unaddressed, and in response the

Mayor and the Chair of Overview & Scrutiny had both agreed that an

Independent Inquiry be set up.

The Inquiry and its terms of reference had been agreed by Council in

February 2017. Subsequently the Bar Council appointed Lord Dyson, a former

Master of the Rolls and Supreme Court member to head the Inquiry. Lord

Dyson had now completed his Inquiry, publishing his report on 28 November

2017.

The Committee was next addressed by the Executive Director for Children &

Young People who had served as the lead officer for the Inquiry. She

explained a covering report and a proposed report to Council in January 2018

had been produced for members consideration. She advised the Committee

that the Inquiry had operated within its Budget and the likely final cost would

be in the region of £250,000.

Member debated the report and began by praising the conduct of officers as

highlighted by Lord Dyson. They considered adding an additional

recommendation acknowledging the professionalism of officers. Upon receipt

of advice from the joint Acting Deputy Monitoring Officer pointing out their

strictly limited terms of reference, the Committee concluded that adding such

a recommendation was not required.

Members considered in depth whether there were lessons that could be

learned from the report. They determined that they did not wish to evaluate

the report but concluded that it might have a role in continuous improvement

and learning. The Committee unanimously accepted a suggestion from the

Chair that he agree with the Executive Director for Children & Young People,

subsequent to the meeting, the text of a possible additional recommendation

noting the Council could use the report to inform continuous improvement and

learning.

RESOLVED that:

(1) the proposed attached report on the New Bermondsey/Surrey Canal

Independent Inquiry to the Council Meeting be approved for inclusion in the

agenda papers for the Council Meeting on 17 January 2018; and

(2) the Chair and the Executive Director for Children and Young People be

authorised to agree the text of any additional recommendation to Council

noting the possible use of the report to inform continuous improvement and

learning.

The meeting closed at 6.55pm