In an embarrassing U-turn, Medway Conservatives have finally taken control of a £25million special school project from Medway Commercial Group (MCG). Medway Labour previously called in the decision to place MCG in charge of this project, but the concerns were dismissed by leader of the council Alan Jarrett as nastiness and political point scoring.
This is the Conservative’s second U-turn in the space of a month after breaking their election promise to freeze car parking charges for the next four years.
Cllr Clive Johnson, Medway Labour and Co-operative Spokesperson for Children and Young People said, ‘As was very clear at the time, Medway Labour called in the decision on the Cornwallis learning village purely on the grounds that we oppose Medway Commercial Group’s leadership of the project. We were, and remain, fully supportive of the principle of a new school for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Medway.
‘Our concerns over MCG are wholly legitimate considering the fact that they have overseen the complete mismanagement of Medway’s CCTV (aided by the incompetence of the portfolio holder) and school governors’ services, and have a non-existent track record of large scale capital programmes. However, the Conservative’s ideological commitment to commercialisation of public services blinded them to the truth of the situation.
‘It’s embarrassing for the Conservatives, who crowed about the Labour Group’s “disgusting” decision to question MCG’s suitability for this project, that they are only now realising what the Labour Group have known for over a year.
‘MCG is obviously incompetent and cannot be trusted to project manage a governors’ services contract, let alone a £25million school.’
Medway Labour demands further scrutiny for MCG involvement in Cornwallis school: https://www.medwaylabour.org.uk/scrutiny-mcg-special-school/
- Council takes control of £25 million special school from Medway Commercial Group: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/council-takes-control-of-25m-school-199814/
- Medway Council’s ruling Conservatives blast Labour’s “disgusting” decision to call-in school decision: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/tories-blast-labour-over-school-decision-192115/
- Portfolio holder’s incompetence led to a lack of oversight and scrutiny of MCG: http://thepoliticalmedway.co.uk/whose-portfolio-is-watching-the-watchmen/
It’s embarrassing for the Conservatives, who crowed about the Labour Group’s “disgusting” decision to question MCG’s suitability for this project, that they are only now realising what the Labour Group have known for over a year Cllr Clive Johnson, Medway Labour and Co-operative Spokesperson for Children and Young People
