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Mayor complains Town Manager to Ombudsman

  • 11-10-2008 7:16pm
    #1
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    A former Mayor of Tramore has complained Town Manager Brian White to the Ombudsman for failing to respond to two letters he sent him over the last 18 months.

    Other members of the Town Council, reacting to the shock announcement by Cllr Joe Conway at their October meeting on Tuesday night, jumped to the defence of the Manager, who had no recollection of the letters.

    Cllr Conway said he wrote to the Manager 3 and 17 months ago and he had yet to receive even an acknowledgement. He had now passed on the letters to the Ombudsman with a request for an investigation as to why he got no response.

    Mr. White, having been asked by Cllr Conway if there was a plausible explanation, was surprised to the extent that he thought the councillor was talking about emails. He said that if he had missed out on two enquiries over a period of 18 months he had no idea how it happened. There was no reason why he would not respond and he apologised if he got the letters and failed to do so. Generally, he tried to answer queries promptly.

    Cllr Conway said the letters were of some importance and coming from an elected public representative they should not be ignored. It was in defence of local democracy he took the action he did - it was nothing personal against the Manager. “I want it to go down as a signal that I do not intend to be ignored”, he added.

    Mr. White told Cllr Conway he never intentionally ignored requests or correspondence from any public representative and was very disappointed he felt he had to bring the matter to the attention of the Ombudsman before first notifying him. “It is a waste of the Ombudsman’s time and is discourteous to me, to say the least”, the Manager added, before asking to be furnished with copies of the letters.

    Cllr Conway: “The point is that no queries should be ignored. It is an important point of democracy. If you are elected you deserve a hearing and a reaction and it is because of that I have asked the Ombudsman to have a look at the matter and report back to me”.

    All of the other councillors present, bar Ann Marie Power, vehemently defended Mr. White, stating that in their experience he was always prompt, courteous and helpful in responding to any queries they had. Afterwards Cllr Power confirmed that she felt similarly and her failure
    to comment at the meeting should not be interpreted otherwise.

    The Manager thanked the councillors for their words of support and said he felt Cllr Conway should withdraw his request to the Ombudsman.

    He added: “I have at all times endeavoured to carry out my duties diligently and to respond to councillors honestly and as quickly as possible. Furthermore, I have always encouraged my staff to do likewise and to bring matters to my attention where appropriate. If I failed to respond to Cllr Conway’s letters there was some inadvertent reason and I have apologised”.

    Source: The Munster Express

    18 months?! Fair play to Cllr Conway for not taking this and complaining. I dont think he is the type to make such an accusation with some sort of basis for it. I assume he must have addressed the matter to the manager in the council meetings over by phone?


Comments

  • #2
    Libby029
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 141 ✭✭Libby029


    I would love to know in this whole 17 months timespan, did this councillor ever straight out ask the town manager why hadn't he responded to his letters.. because if i ever sent a letter and i didn't get a response, i think the next port of call would be a phone call finding out what is going on!! Now if this councillor did do this.. then I would understand reporting the town manager but if he hadn't then to me he sounds like a bit of a s**t stirrer and sounds like he is out to get that man out of his job!! Just my opinion!!


  • #3
    Sully
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 24,056 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sully


    Libby029 wrote: »
    I would love to know in this whole 17 months timespan, did this councillor ever straight out ask the town manager why hadn't he responded to his letters.. because if i ever sent a letter and i didn't get a response, i think the next port of call would be a phone call finding out what is going on!! Now if this councillor did do this.. then I would understand reporting the town manager but if he hadn't then to me he sounds like a bit of a s**t stirrer and sounds like he is out to get that man out of his job!! Just my opinion!!

    Raised my eyebrow there also, and the town manager attends any of the meetings iv been at over the summer.

    To be fair to Cllr. Conway, when I contacted the town manager through him there was a slight delay in getting a response and it took a second email to get a response. Nowhere near this type of delay of course. I think the delay I experienced might be to expected, for various reasons so I never thought much of it.

    Cllr. Conway is a nice guy, straight out and honest. I cant imagine he would be the type to stir **** or get the man out of his job without having good reason to do so. Maybe a mistake was made, and Cllr. Conway will withdraw his complaint. If he doesn't, I would imagine there is more to it - would be pretty shocked if there wasn't.


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