Print Comment Email

Conservative leader speaks out against Council and RBH secrecy

Date published: 02 February 2008

Following the revelation on Rochdale Online that the Council and Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH) are intent on keeping secret the results of the Audit Commission investigation into the failed RBH recruitment debacle and the ongoing poor relations between the two organisations, leader of the Conservative Group on Rochdale Council, Councillor Ashley Dearnley has spoken out against the secrecy.

Councillor Dearnley champions the rights of council tenants over the executive and will be calling on Council Chief Executive Roger Ellis to make the findings public.

Councillor Dearnley said: "Confidentiality must not be used to mask incompetence or wrongdoing. Public interest must always come first and therefore I am calling for an early meeting with the Chief Executive, Roger Ellis, to consider the Audit Report and encourage an open and honest approach.

"We should never forget that it is our Council tenants who should take top priority; they deserve to know what is happening, it is they that are affected and provide much of the money through their rents. This Council must ensure that it is always inclusive and honest with the residents."

With representatives of the Labour and Conservative parties having called for openness and transparency, only the ruling Lib Dem group has remained silent and to date refused to condemn the secrecy.

What RBH and the council don't want you to know - again!