WALTHAM FOREST: Job secrecy is cause of row

6:23pm Tuesday 18th September 2007

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A COUNCIL officer provoked outrage by refusing to reveal details of a controversial council appointment.

Clive Morton, head of cultural services, said he was not able to say where the new post of head of museum, gallery and libraries had been advertised.

And he would not reveal how many candidates had been considered, or when the interview for the post was held.

He told last week's Walthamstow West Com-munity Council that he would have to speak to the council's human resources team and council lawyers and would provide more information at a later date.

The post was given to Lorna Lee in April as part of a new management structure. Before that she was manager of the gallery and museum.

Mr Morton was asked to explain the interview process by local resident Peter Spiro in a question submitted at the previous community council meeting in July.

Mr Morton's initial response was that the post was filled in accordance with the "managing change" procedure, and that Mrs Lee gave a presentation and formal interview, meeting the council's requirements for the post.

"He hasn't answered two, if not three, of the questions," said Mr Spiro, who then repeated them.

He added: "The phrase managing change' procedure could cover all manner of sins. To me it begins to smell of cronyism - and nothing much else."

Mr Morton countered: "I can't give you any more information because of the very personal nature of the question."

He added that he was satisfied that the appointment had been done in accordance with the law.

Resident Janet Wright said: "It is a very simple question - could you please give me a copy of the publication in which this job was advertised. I might have wanted to apply for it."

Mr Morton repeated: "Because the lawyers are involved in putting together this information, I do not want to give any more information until I have spoken to them again."

Chairman Philip Herlihy asked him to bring any appropriate personnel to the next community council meeting "so we can thrash this out properly".