Deputy Cameron's sharing of notes "was naive rather than malicious"

Wednesday 18 August 2021

Deputy Andy Cameron has been cautioned by the Code of Conduct Panel for leaking notes from an engagement meeting with teachers to 13 other States Members.

His fellow members on the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture lodged a complaint to the Code of Conduct Panel in June, asserting that he had breached three sections of the Code of Conduct.

ESC President Andrea Dudley-Owen, Vice-President Bob Murray, Committee members Sue Aldwell and Sam Haskins, and non-States Member Advocate Jason Green highlighted three sections of the code that they claimed had been broken; sections 8, 9, and 21A.

Pictured: The Code of Conduct Panel found Deputy Cameron had broken section 21A of the code raised by ESC, but also 20A as well. 

An Investigation Panel led by the Very Rev’d John Guille as Chairman met both Deputy Cameron and two members of ESC during the investigation process.

The incident followed an ESC engagement session with teachers on 27 April 2021, to discuss the reorganisation of secondary and post-16 education.

Notes were taken, reportedly with an intention to share them more widely once they had been signed off. Deputy Cameron shared them with 13 other States members after concerns were express by a Grammar School & Sixth Form Centre teacher. The Code of Conduct panel ruled that he should’ve sought permission first.

“The Panel concluded that his actions were naïve and showed his inexperience rather than being malicious,” it was said in the findings of the panel.

The panel concluded that Deputy Cameron had not breached the trust of the public, or the integrity of the States of Deliberation, therefore the claim that he’d broken both section 8 and 9 was dismissed.

“I was pleased to see that the panel dismissed a separate complaint from a member of the public alleging I was not acting in the best interests of the public,” said Deputy Cameron.

“I am glad that this matter has now been formally concluded.”

Pictured: The President of ESC said the Committee ‘had no option’ but to refer Deputy Cameron to the panel. 

Deputy Cameron has been cautioned for his actions. 

“It was obviously not my intention to breach the code, and I regret that my actions led to this finding, however I still firmly maintain that I was acting in the best interests of the voting public.

“These 13 deputies had all approached me and asked me why I had decided not to support the Committee’s proposals, and this document contained all of the justification for that decision. 

“As is clear from the panel’s findings, at no point did I attempt to mislead or misrepresent the views contained within the document, nor did I do anything which would undermine public confidence in the States. It was only on this basis that I was happy to accept the caution,” he said.