South Wales Evening Post - August 2008
Opposition councillors staged a mass walkout following a decision to debate Swansea Council's controversial eGovernment scheme in private.
When a motion for the public to be allowed to stay for the debate was defeated, every Labour and Conservative member left the meeting in protest.
The controversy over the issue has raged all week since the Post revealed a confidential council agenda showed work done by IT firm CapGemini could cost £8 million.Council leaders have since emphasised the final bill will be negotiated down.
However, at a full council meeting the opposition parties asked for the entire issue to be debated in public - against the recommendations of the council's legal officer David Daycock - but were blocked by 35 votes to 32.
The leaders of Labour and the Conservatives, David Phillips and Rene Kinzett, then led their groups from the council chamber. Councillor Kinzett said: "These matters have huge public interest.
"They can't hide behind this. It is about time these matters were disclosed to the Swansea public.
"What is the point of 72 councillors discussing it in private?"
Councillor Phillips added: "This is a matter that should be in the public domain. We are not going to go along with a council that holds these meetings in private."
Ahead of the vote, council members were advised by Mr Daycock and Jack Straw, the council's executive director, that the debate should be held in private.
Mr Straw went on to discuss the £8 million figure. He said it was made up of "invoices that have been submitted by CapGemini to be paid, contractual claims and a series of sums of money which they believe the council would be due to pay".
"My advice would be the dispute is ongoing and there is advice we want to give to councillors before pursuing."
The walkout has provoked fierce criticism from council leader Chris Holley and members of the administration. Councillor Holley accused the opposition of acting like children.
He said: "The advice we were given was for the benefit of this city, not for any political party or administration.
"The way the opposition parties behaved was shameful. They only managed to bring the office of councillor into disrepute by their actions.
"We had clear legal advice and this was not heeded. It is about time Labour and the Conservatives started to behave responsibly by having the debate and questioning officers and the cabinet member.
"The residents of Swansea elected these people for them to be accountable, not for them to walk out because they did not get their own way. They acted like little children who can't get their own way."
Cabinet member for business improvement and efficiency Mary Jones said: "This was an extremely irresponsible act.
"The reports were brought before council in response to a request from them that all councillors should have an opportunity to debate the issues. (Under the council constitution, reports are considered and agreed by cabinet.)
"Officers and staff spent a lot of time preparing these reports to ensure all councillors would have up-to-date and accurate information. This just goes to prove that Labour and the Conservatives are not interested in the running of the city, only furthering their own political ends."
Plaid councillor Darren Price, who is part of the ruling administration, also criticised the walkout.
He said: "Quite frankly, that show by the Labour Party and the Tories was nothing short of ridiculous.
"It was quite clear from the advice by the legal officer of the council and by simply reading the report on the red papers that there was significant information that would have compromised the council no end and potentially cost the taxpayers of Swansea a huge amount of money.
"The proposal to make this information public was nothing short of political mischief-making."
A council spokesman said: "The council faced a potential cost of £8 million to implement the proposed new payroll system with its partner CapGemini.
"However, cabinet agreed in June not to proceed with the payroll system.
"The council is now in negotiations with CapGemini to reach a commercial settlement following the decision not to implement the new payroll system.
"A confidential report has been presented to all councillors to inform them of the issues and the current position.
"The report contains sensitive legal and commercial information and it is clearly in the interests of the council and council taxpayers for this report and advice given in relation to it to remain confidential while negotiations with CapGemini continue."
