Geoffrey Bates has written an article on Indymedia about Nottingham Development Company (a regeneration Government quango) and its troubled history. He also undertakes a critical examination of the organisation. Extracts are reproduced below.
“The Neighbourhood Development Company (NDC) is the Nottingham partnership receiving money from the government’s New Deal for Communities programme. It has had a controversial history, most recently resulting in the sacking of its entire Board for breaches of the Code of Conduct…
In 2002, only 2 years since the start of Nottingham NDC, the Guardian was already reporting that the scheme had “been dogged by community infighting, delays and resentment over government interference in the scheme..
In 2003, the Vice-Chair of NDC resigned complaining of the “bumbling incompetence” of her colleagues. Chief Executive, Pauline Davies, also stepped down and the following year NDC were rated as ‘poor’ by the Government for the East Midlands (GOEM)…
The Independent Review of Corporate Governance released in 2008 catalogued a host of problems including infighting amongst Board members, financial impropriety and personal power struggles that were tearing NDC apart…
The Independent Review reported “a number of cases of separate and substantial financial dealings between Directors, and Directors and staff. None of these were declared at the time and until later complaints emerged, the Company had no formal knowledge of them.”
..A new Board was elected in September to oversee the spending of the final £12m of the funds. However, it seems the problems did not end there. The interim Chief Executive, Stephen Lord, left NDC before his replacement had been found, and a source close to NDC was quoted as saying his departure was “abrupt.”"
Follow the link below to read more.
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/nottinghamshire/2008/12/414280.html
