How long can it take? MP's have been convicted in the courts faster.

Over a year ago two Wigan Councillors were reported to the standards committee for claiming car allowance when they did not own a car or were able to drive.

With all the scandals with MP's many thought this kind of incident was just in Westminster. But this document demonstrates that it is not. What is different between Westminster and Wigan Council is speed.

I would imagine that Wigan Council will say the time is out of their hands as it is being investigated by an external body. But so were the MP's in Westminster but that did not take this long and they allegations were worse and some even sentenced to jail. But yet these two Councillors are getting away with it.

When you go to the link click on number 13 to see the report and item 2. Here you will see the two cases and the dates when first sent to be investigated.

http://democracy.wigan.gov.uk/CeListDocuments.aspx?MID=1576&RD=Agenda&DF=08%2f06%2f2010&A=1&R=0

Whilst the report does not say who the two Councillors are we can probably assume at least one of them and that is Labour Cllr Jeanette Prescott. We can make this assumption on the basis that she went to the Observer saying she was horrified that she had got mixed up. I have put a link to the story below.

http://www.wigantoday.net/news/councillor_horrified_by_mileage_mix_up_1_205631

One thing that she did was pay the money back straight away and apologised. But what about the other Councillor. Have they done the same thing? If they had I guess they would apologised like Cllr Prescott did.

It is in the public interest that these cases are concluded and the findings made public at the earliest opportunity to try and put some confidence back that the Council is not above the law and they do not try and drag things out as long as possible to try and let people forget what has gone on.

I will be writing to the head of legal services asking if the Council has a time frame on this matter or is it a case the Council are dragging this out on purpose.