Currently the decision as to whether ERYC are conducting themselves unlawfully by banning Independent ERYC Councillor Andy Strangeway from confidential papers is in the hands of one man, Mathew Buckley, ERYC Head of Legal and Monitoring Officer.

Caroline Lacey, ERYC Chief Executive, on Tuesday 23 October 2018 at 14.17 stated:

“I do not believe there have been any failures of the Standards process, in forming this opinion I have taken advice from  Legal and Democratic services and the Monitoring Officer.”

This statement was made four hours after Mathew Buckley infamously stated:

“That quote is correct“

Why is Caroline not seeking external legal advice?

Collective Failure

This failure does not stop at Caroline. Lets us consider how many others have failed to publically question the failure:

• 1 – Chief Executive
• 6 – Directors
• 17 – Heads of Service
• 66 Councillors – this includes Conservative, Independent, Labour, Liberal Democrat and UKIP Councillors

That is 90 ERYC Officers/Councillors who are failing to represent residents. Add to this the BBC, Hull Daily Mail and the Yorkshire Post who have all sat back and you see a collectively failure unknown in the 22 years of ERYC.

90 to 1 that is what Councillor Strangeway is up against.

Moving Forward

I am in no doubt that this could result in ERYC:

1. Going into special measures
2. Having to pay out a considerable sum
3. Losing their reputation (if they still have one)

In addition, I would suggest that 66 councillors will have an uphill battle to convince their electorate next May that they are the best person to represent them for another four years.

Once again I have written to Caroline Lacey advising her to seek external legal advice. You can lead to water…….