A SCRUTINY committee member believes the executive board can 'improve its performance' and 'learn lessons' from how it handled the deal to buy Birchwood Park.

The deal, worth in the region of £210 million, will come before the executive board again tomorrow, Thursday, at a special meeting after its decision for the authority to buy the site was 'called in' by Labour councillors Andrew Hill, Graham Friend and Diana Bennett.

Last Monday the scrutiny committee decided to offer advice to the executive board over the move.

The advice was that the principles underpinning proposed property investments should be subject to all council members being briefed and having the opportunity to debate the matter – and that the council formulates an ethics policy, which should be referenced throughout the decision-making process.

Deputy council leader Cllr Russ Bowden, who is the executive member for corporate finance and property, said the points of the call-in were 'dismissed' at the meeting, which was partly held in private.

However, Cllr Colin Froggatt (LAB – Poulton South), who sits on the scrutiny committee, insists the points made by Cllr Hill (LAB – Rixton and Woolston), lead signatory on the call-in, were taken on board.

He said: "The proposals were based upon the evidence given by Cllr Hill to the committee, in that the executive board was lacking, particularly in its timeliness and restricted availability, in the way it communicated with council members regarding this matter.

"Hence, the advice to facilitate timely briefings and debates taking place on the broad principals before the council embarks on future ventures of this type.

"The issue of ethics was also part of the call-in process.

"The committee picked up on this as it became apparent that the council does not have an ethics policy, which can be readily referred to when decisions of this nature, and others, are being made.

"This reflects the three points made as the basis of the call-in i.e. consultation, openness and risks.

"The expectation is that the executive board can improve its performance by learning the lessons from the way it dealt with this issue with a view to us becoming a better council."

Executive board members will be informed of Cllr Froggatt's views on the issue.

A council spokesman said: "We note Cllr Froggatt's comments and these will be shared formally with executive board members when they meet on Thursday."