Hill
Caught in a Spin as Minister Exposes CCTV Van Dodge
Cllr Maxie Hill’s attempts
to spin his way out of the mothballed mobile CCTV van scandal have been shot
down by Deputy Communities Minister, Johann Lamont.
Cllr Hill, chairman of the
Community Safety Partnership, had claimed that the reason for the £148,263
mobile unit lying unused in the Pottery Street depot, rather than being deployed
on the streets, was “the crazy way the Executive throw money at councils at
the last minute and expect them to come up with projects to spend it.”
He added: “We thought we were getting money to run it at the same time,
but that didn't happen.” (Greenock Telegraph, 21st February 2006.)
But, replying to
representations from MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, who had
called for the scandal to be investigated, the Minister blasted:
“The report in the local
press of a Councillor’s claim that the Executive funding procedures are
responsible for the delay is wrong.”
She said that it is the duty
of the Community Safety Partnership to effectively manage the project and that
the Inverclyde Community Planning Manager had confirmed that the vehicle has not
been in service due to, “difficulties with recruitment of staff, not with any
aspect of funding or funding procedure.”
“Communities Scotland,”
the Minister added, “have confirmed that they were not approached at any time
for any further funding or for a rescheduling of the SIP grant award to enable
the vehicle to be put into operation.”
Mr McNeil said Cllr Hill’s
excuses had been exposed and that he should consider his position:
“The Minister has exposed
Cllr Hill’s desperate attempt to dodge the blame for this scandal.
He would have been perfectly well aware of the truth and he should be
seriously thinking about his position.
“Yet again, this Council
has squandered a golden opportunity handed to it by the Scottish Parliament.
Yet again, the people of Inverclyde have lost out due to their
incompetence. And, yet again, they’re only interested in trying to blame
anyone but themselves when they get found out.”
The Minister’s letter
concludes with a warning that further action could be taken, stating that
Inverclyde Community Planning Partnership Board “may wish to consider this
matter at a future meeting.”
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