| MP's statement on
Bath Spa settlement (November 2009)
 Dan
Norris MP said: "The Bath Spa fiasco exposed B&NES Council as
incompetent, immensely secretive, wasteful of millions of pounds of our
money, desperate to avoid blame, and unable, or unwilling, to learn from
its mistakes.
"The very predictable Bath Spa out-of-court settlement shows the
B&NES leopard has kept its spots. B&NES' incompetence has seen
further huge sums of public money spent on legal fees, only for agreement
to be reached through mediation and extensive three-way discussions that
should have been taking place all along.
"Skilled leadership in recent years would have ensured that 'jaw,
jaw', rather than 'law, law', won the day - avoiding most of the legal
costs of the past years.
"B&NES agreement to a confidentiality clause in the settlement
shows the awful secrecy surrounding the Bath Spa wasted millions remains
- and of course conveniently helps duck any blame.
"However in their joint statement, B&NES and the other parties,
use the words 'net payments' and give the game away. The two-way movement
of money to reach the final 'net' sum, shows B&NES was also to blame.
They have chosen to conceal the amount they had to pay, but they should
tell us where they were found wanting and apologize.
"I'm glad in the end B&NES did sensibly recognise the costs and
uncertainties associated with pursuing litigation. But if they had really
learnt from their previous Spa mistakes it would not have taken so long.
"But the bottom line is, a Spa that should have cost £13 million,
cost £45 million.
"No matter how long it takes for the truth to fully come out, B&NES
will never be forgiven for wasting such vast amounts of public money.
It is the reason we have seen so many cuts and poorer council services."
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