It’s a fair question not fake news

The city council’s cabinet member responsible for the authority’s budget David Seaton dismissed an investigation into the legality of its budget as ‘fake news’. Now we shouldn’t for one minute underestimate the scale or complexity of the task Cllr Seaton and others undertake in balancing the city’s books. It is a monumental challenge that gets more difficult every year. But every year, as councils face increasing finacial pressures, the potential consequences of not meeting those challenges become greater. The question mark over whether Peterborough City Council has stayed the right side of the law in selling off assets to cover some costs has been raised by an investigation carried out by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism. The BoIJ is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that spends a great deal of time on its projects. At the very least it is a highly respected source. The Bureau’s findings formed the basis of the inquiries we put to the city council and the report we carried. The council and Cllr Seaton are confident that the authority’s finances are in good order and the proceeds from sales have been used correctly. But the government is now investigating and so there is a case to answer. It’s too easy for politicians to brand stories they don’t like as fake news when in fact what is being asked is a fair question. Serious questions demand serious answers and in dismissing the BoIJ investiagtion as fake news Cllr Seaton does himself and the council a disservice - it detracts from their reasoned and robust response, a response which for the city’s sake – we hope is right.