A move to change the person in charge of reviewing “issues and challenges” with the council’s home to school transport service for children with special needs has angered parents and councillors.
Labour councillor John Allcock wants to take over chairing the Home to School Transport Policy Panel from Green councillor Hannah Clare.
Critics labelled the plan as like putting the fox in charge of the chickens and one parent said that the move would offend the laws of natural justice.
His defenders said that he was not involved in the decisions that led to no transport or inappropriate transport for dozens of Brighton and Hove’s most vulnerable children last September.
The proposed change comes because the Green Party took over running the council last month after it became the largest party when two Labour councillors resigned.
But Councillor Allcock was the politician in charge of Brighton and Hove City Council’s home to school transport service at the height of its troubles.
He was elected after the key decisions had been made but has been accused of trying to scrap the panel when many felt that it still had vital work to do.
Green and Conservative councillors outvoted Labour to keep the panel running for a further six months.
But, given that an independent review urged the council to win back parents’ confidence, one parent told Brighton and Hove News that the proposed appointment was “insensitive”.
A number of parents and councillors want Councillor Clare to continue chairing the panel even though the task would usually fall to an opposition member.
Those understood to support Councillor Clare continuing in the role include Conservative councillors Mary Mears and Lee Wares.
Councillor Clare now chairs the council’s Children, Young People and Skills Committee and is the new deputy leader of the council but she was in opposition when appointed to chair the panel.
The row is likely to be settled at a “virtual” meeting of the full council tomorrow (Thursday 13 August).
Rob Arbery, chair of governors at Hill Park special school, was one of a group of parents who called on the council to set up a cross-party panel to look into the problems with the service.
Mr Arbery said: “It does beggar belief that someone who did not want the scrutiny panel and tried to finish it should be chair.
“It’s a shame Councillor Clare cannot continue as chair. We should put party politics aside and either appoint Councillor Mears or Councillor Wares as chair as they have shown leadership throughout and are trusted by the families that were affected.”
“Scrutiny” is clearly not a word that Labour, and Councillor Allcock in particular, seem to understand. How can this panel have any credibility if it’s chaired by the people who messed the service up in the first place and then wanted to end it. This all seems to suggest there’s something Councillor Allcock doesn’t want getting out?
The panel has made progress, what a backwards step and slap in the face to the affected parents if Cllr Allcock takes over. Something a bit crooked here.