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Onchan Commissioners have strongly condemned a board member who walked out of a meeting carrying confidential agenda documents in defiance of governance protocols.
The incident, which occurred at an extraordinary meeting on January 13 has raised serious concerns about data security and member conduct.
At the authority’s latest board meeting, members discussed the possibility of confidential information being leaked following the unauthorised removal of documents.
The meeting also heard that the individual involved had previously been linked to a data breach that prompted an investigation by the Information Commissioner.
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Minutes from the January 20 meeting reveal that all members had been instructed to return confidential documents from the prior meeting at the request of the Chief Executive/Clerk Ross Phillips.
However, one member refused to comply and left the meeting with the papers, breaching an existing board resolution dated April 15, 2024.
The discussion that followed highlighted concerns over repeated instances of unacceptable conduct by the individual.
Some members questioned why they continually disregarded governance protocols, while others called for stronger measures to ensure compliance.
Among the key points raised were the need for the Chair Zara Lewin to take firm action to address the situation, the reputational damage and potential legal ramifications for the authority because of poor governance and the possibility of legislative reprimands for members who fail to adhere to governance rules.
A call for stricter measures to safeguard confidential information was also discussed in detail.
The Chief Executive/Clerk provided an overview of the previous data breach investigation and reiterated the responsibility of board members to comply with data protection laws as registered data controllers.
Amid growing concerns over governance and security, the board says it is now exploring further measures to ensure that both new and existing members comply with the rules and maintain the authority's integrity.