First Full Council for what seemed like ages tonight, though the time is now almost entirely taken up with questioning of Cabinet members - as all decisions are now taken behind closed doors or at Cabinet. I find this a useful time, so it will probably be abolished or reduced in the near future. Sadly few other 'opposition' councillors see questioning as useful apart from Deborah of course, one Liberal and a couple of independents, and the meeting barely lasted much longer than an hour.
A couple of interesting points from my point of view:
1. The Scrutiny Committee Chair has denied Deborah's request for a scrutiny enquiry into local childrens services in the light of the Baby P case, as she has been told by the Chief Exec and Leader that there aren't the 'time and resources' available. And the Scrutiny Chair has accepted this...... Oh, how they must love her ! So councillors have to rely on what they are told by senior officers and the Cabinet member, rather than what they find out for themselves from talking to a wide range of staff and service users through a formal enquiry.......
Leader quote, "We are very happy with what the scrutiny committee has done over the last 18 months". I bet they are.
Scrutiny Chair quote, "I can't get any volunteers from the committee to do enquiries." Because they are mainly Tories who don't want to do effective scrutiny; it was never a problem when the opposition were in the majority when I was Chair in 2006/07......
2. The proposed Pan development is 'no nearer' delivering a capital receipt from developers for the Council than they were last time I asked here - mid-November. They are now actively pursuing getting more Housing Corporation money towards a scheme with more affordable housing than the planned 240 homes. However, that still doesn't get the development started anytime soon.
Apart from that there were a few skirmishes between the only former Liberal Executive (Cabinet) member and the current Council Leader over Council Tax increases between 2001 and 2005 and the current dreadful situation that the Tories have got themselves into. I stayed out of that not wanting to pre-empt what I will be saying next month when I present the Labour alternative budget.
5 comments:
I take it from the photo accompanying this post, that newly elected Cllr Colin Richards finds it amusing?
Press for the investigation at all costs. When we see what is coming out of the woodwork in other local authorities children services, you need to lift the lid. Staff will tell you what is really going on behind the reports, graphs and tables presented by officers. Look at what is happening in the North of England and in Berksire. Shameful and elected members and officers are being dismissed or falling on their whatsits. The more you are refused, the harder you must press because experience tells us that there is much to be hidden.
All protected by reporting restrictions - that's how most councils get away with so much for so long. Pity the poor kids.
Are your eyes OK Geoff? I'm sure there was a full turnout of LibDems at the meeting.
There was - but only one took advantage of the sole regular opportunity to question Cabinet members.
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