Who needs a survey?

Published: 9 September, 2010

• I NOTE that Camden Council’s standards committee is to decide on whether to pay the Audit Commission £9,000 to conduct an ethical survey of our council officers and elected councillors.

One has to ask why? The most memorable finding of the Audit Commission’s survey in 2006 was that: “Overall, Camden senior officers are considered to be less likely to show respect to councilors than nationally”.

When, as a serving Conservative councillor, I raised the matter at the highest level I was met with an absolute unwillingness to accept such a problem existed.

Consequently no remedy was ever sought. Indeed I can discern no tangible benefits ever derived from the last ethical survey.

So what’s the point of another if there is no resolve to act upon its findings?

KEITH SEDGWICK
ex-councillor for Gospel Oak ward