Greenham Parish Council accused of 'lack of transparency'

Councillor's fury over handling of governance review

GREENHAM Parish Council is conducting a review of the way it deals with finance and planning matters after facing heavy criticism by one of its own members.

Julian Swift-Hook requested that the council participated in a governance review, saying he felt that it was not managing its affairs properly.

Last year, an audit report into the parish council’s handling of the control tower project questioned both its governance and finances.

The independent audit, conducted by accountant BDO, was ordered after former chairman Tony Forward quit the parish and former clerk John Boston retired, leaving only Mr Swift-Hook to manage the project.

During last week’s Greenham Parish Council meeting, Mr Swift-Hook became vocal when he discovered the governance review he called for had started without him being informed or consulted first.

Mr Swift-Hook said: “I certainly didn’t know anything about it and that does not seem to be particularly open or transparent to me.”

The council’s clerk, Roger Chester had to intervene, saying: “That is not appropriate. Can we move on please.”

Mr Chester did, however, recognise that the council could improve the way it considers planning matters.

During the meeting, he said: “We are not looking at applications at all. Only two of you have read it and we are listening to a summary of the application from the chairman and voting on that.”

After the meeting, Mr Swift-Hook added: “I am extremely concerned that the governance review I called for in January seems to have gone ahead without consultation.

“It appears that the first opportunity councillors are going to get to comment on the review is after it has taken place.

“I think that is fundamentally wrong and that in itself seems to me to be another example of a governance problem.”