Surprised by appointment
The appointment of Councillor Pat Smith as chairwoman of the Children's Services scrutiny committee will come as a great surprise to many given her important role as the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for that department at the time it was rated as the worst in the country, this happening entirely on her own watch.
Having been criticised for ‘weak political leadership’, the poacher has turned gamekeeper-with an additional allowance of £5,179 pa on top of the basic £8,369pa.
I, no doubt, along with many other people in Sunderland, will watch with interest to see how she fulfils her duty to scrutinise her former department and get answers to questions as to why children were failed.
Alan Wright