To respond:

I think Cllr Whittaker should resign. Just as I thought Cllr Reason should have resigned over the shortcomings highlighted by the report on the Council’s handling of the Sita contract. Only if local politicians accept their ultimate accountability to the electorate when things go wrong can we hope to restore faith in politics. There seems to be growing confusion amongst some Calderdale Councillors between what it is to be directly responsible for malpractice and what it is to be “accountable” for it. I was sat observing the Council meeting last year when the Liberal Democrats called for both Cllr Reason and Cllr Metcalfe to resign over the Sita affair. I think they should both have done the honourable thing. They may have done nothing wrong. They may have done their best. They may have had the wool pulled over their eyes. The point is, they were the political figureheads of the Directorate and the Scrutiny Panel, respectively, and hence “accountable” to the people of Calderdale for something that went wrong on their watch. Cllr Reason didn’t say a word but stared at the floor throughout the debate. Cllr Metcalfe, a good man without a doubt, took the call for his resignation as a personal attack and behaved quite petulantly. Neither of them did the decent thing which would have been to resign. No wonder trust in politicians is at an all time low.

And Cllr Whittaker is in the same position now with regard to the serious failures in Children’s Services uncovered by this independent review. He should be saying to his colleagues on the Council and to the people of Calderdale “I don’t think this service has been run to an acceptable standard. As I have been the Portfolio Holder for the last three years, I am the person accountable. I am very sorry for what has happened and I resign.” Then someone new can be appointed to take up the role and the Directorate can make a fresh start. I think that would show integrity and would win him and the rest of the Council more public respect.

Call me old fashioned!