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Nearly four months on, the Scrutiny committee has finally received redacted paperwork relating to a controversial appointment made within education services, which made headlines earlier this year.
The creation of a new senior role, as Head of Curriculum and Standards, which was given to Clare Sealy, after the President of ESC was said to have interfered in the recruitment process, left Scrutiny facing public pressure to act.
Pictured: P&R is responsible for senior civil service appointments, across all committees.
The Scrutiny Management Committee had initially asked for copies of documents relating to the appointment from the Policy & Resources Committee on 7 August. That documentation was received earlier this week in redacted form. It will now be used to inform the independent review SMC is going to do.
However, that review faces further hurdles as SMC says it has not yet received any information from the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture.
Pictured: The ESC committee.
SMC had wanted to carry out a formal tribunal into the situation, to find out exactly what happened in the appointment of Ms Sealy to the newly created role.
However, in September, when that was debated by the States the idea was thrown out.
SMC had asked the States to back the idea of having a Tribunal of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances around the appointment process for the role of Head of Curriculum and Standards, despite knowing that it currently doesn't have 'the relevant powers to undertake an effective and thorough investigation with access to all of the information required or the ability to compel relevant witnesses to give evidence'.
When the idea was rejected, SMC said it had 'no realistic option other than to proceed with this independent review'.
Pictured: Deputy Christopher Green is President of the Scrutiny Management Committee.
Deputy Christopher Green says the situation so far has been frustrating. SMC still has to appoint an independent reviewer meaning any conclusion is still some way off.
“My Committee has been frustrated by the delays in receiving the relevant documentation but is pleased that the first stage of an independent review can now be progressed," he said.
"My Committee reiterates our collective view that the review process must be unimpeachably independent if the issues are to be examined effectively. It’s worth remembering that we wish to commission an independent person to do this review. That independent individual will now consider the evidence and determine if a full examination of key witnesses shall take place early next year.”
Pictured: Clare Sealy, Head of Curriculum and Standards.
SMC says the information received will now be passed to its appointed external reviewer who will examine the information in order to assess whether it is 'sufficient to allow a meaningful independent review of the appointment of the Head of Curriculum and Standards to be done'. The information from ESC will be passed on to the external reviewer when it is received.
This work will commence in the next few weeks at a cost that will not exceed £25,000.
On the basis of the initial assessment, if the independent reviewer believes that it is possible to undertake the independent review based on the redacted information submitted, then the full review will get started at the earliest opportunity. This full review process is likely to involve an examination of key witnesses plus consideration of witness statements by the independent reviewer culminating in the production of an independent report that will be submitted to the SMC.
Pictured: Deputy Chris Green, with Clare Sealy inset.
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