TAX PAYERS NEED ANSWERS
South Wales Evening Post Editorial
4 March 2006
It's the mystery of the letter that never was. What did Councillor John Hague intend to bring up with Tim Thorogood on October 21 before the leader of the council persuaded him not to write? Was his main beef that the chief executive had jumped the gun by building before planning permission had been given? Or was he more concerned with the size of the development itself?
However interesting his reply would be, there are bigger questions left unanswered by the leaked report.
The first is what kind of work was carried out at the "garage" before the second application was approved. The second is whether Mr Thorogood made assurances, as sought by the Gower Society, that the "garage" would not be used for residential purposes before his wife inquired about advertising a holiday home on the council's website.
Unfortunately Mr Thorogood left the council with £60,000 before he could provide the answers.
Pursuing a disciplinary case may well have cost even more, but at least the council tax payer would have had the satisfaction of getting the answers. And without them this controversy will not simply go away.
4 March 2006
It's the mystery of the letter that never was. What did Councillor John Hague intend to bring up with Tim Thorogood on October 21 before the leader of the council persuaded him not to write? Was his main beef that the chief executive had jumped the gun by building before planning permission had been given? Or was he more concerned with the size of the development itself?
However interesting his reply would be, there are bigger questions left unanswered by the leaked report.
The first is what kind of work was carried out at the "garage" before the second application was approved. The second is whether Mr Thorogood made assurances, as sought by the Gower Society, that the "garage" would not be used for residential purposes before his wife inquired about advertising a holiday home on the council's website.
Unfortunately Mr Thorogood left the council with £60,000 before he could provide the answers.
Pursuing a disciplinary case may well have cost even more, but at least the council tax payer would have had the satisfaction of getting the answers. And without them this controversy will not simply go away.
posted by Commentator at 11:01 AM
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