I attended the first of the new Policy Commissions yesterday evening - the Children & School Results one. I am not a member of this one, but will attend every one that I can.
My colleague Deborah Gardiner is a member of this one, but she was at a conference with the Council Leader and the other opposition member, Garry Price, wasn't there - I have heard that he has stood down as LibDem Group leader after just 2 months. So the Commission had 5 new Tories there, together with the Cabinet member for Childrens Services.
It was bizarre ! There is no public question/contribution time, and no opportunity for other councillors in attendance to make contributions - there were two old hand Tories there observing as well as me. However, the 'Standards not Tiers' invitees were treated like royalty. Conversely I got the feeling that it is 'blame the school governors' time in relation to the poor performance of Island children at GCSE etc. All in all I found the level of discussion dispriting in the extreme.
More importantly I am entirely unclear what the purpose or outcomes of the meeting were. I was later told by the County Press reporter that he had asked the same question at the end, and he was told that the deliberations will be taken on board by the responsible Cabinet member as they deliver their manifesto commitments.
I know it is early days, but this approach to policy development does not bode well for the future. This Commission seems to be purely advisory, with all decisions left to Cabinet - the last two of which's meetings have been cancelled ! As I said - BIZARRE !
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