To their credit the Council’s Audit committee last month asked the Labour Leadership to look again at their plans to hold policy decision sessions in private.
The plan had alarmed those residents who wished to make representations to Councillors before decisions were taken. Instead any decision – on whether to hold a public meeting – would have been in the hands of the Labour Leadership prompting fears that controversial items would be buried from public view.
Now the Council Leader has apparently said that the private meetings will still be introduced. He claims that opposition Councillors could “call in” potential controversial items for public scrutiny. The claim fails to recognise that such a cumbersome process could cost more to administer than the present system and would certainly delay decisions.
Another aspect of an officer report, due to be considered by the Audit committee next Monday, appears to misrepresent York resident’s rights. It suggests that the public can make representations on issues which appear on the Councils Forward Programme. This programme is published on the Councils web site but in terms of transparency leaves much to be desired.
The current list includes such gems as:
• Designate Public Place Order Decision maker: Cabinet Member for Crime and Community Safety
• Communities and Culture Qtr 3 Service Plan Progress Report Decision maker: Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion
• Response to DCLG consultation on allocation of accommodation. Decision maker: Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services
• York Museums Trust (YMT) Funding 2013-18 Decision maker: Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion
• York Citizens Theatre Trust Funding 2012-16 Decision maker: Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion
• Air Quality on Salisbury Terrace Decision maker: Cabinet Member for City Strategy
• Proceeds of Crime Decision maker: Cabinet Member for Crime and Community Safety
• Proposal for the council to provide a commercial loan to Advent Developments to kick-start construction of 37 new homes at the former Shipton Street School site, Clifton. Decision maker: Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services
Residents are left to guess what the recommended policy might be.
The plan is the latest in a series of blunders which have seen:
• Public consultation on important issues curtailed or missing altogether (e.g. the closure of the Beckfield Lane recycling centre)
• Extra cabinet member positions appointed but fewer cabinet meetings scheduled (26 down to 12)
• The very late publication of the Councils budget proposals (which made it impossible for residents to have their say).
• The late publication on the Council web site of meeting agendas (making it difficult to register to speak at a meeting).
• Dumbing down of agenda reports with an alarming lack of financial analysis in many.
• The effective abolition of resident influence on – much reduced – ward committee budgets.
Labour are also using the Council PR team to promote their policies even to the extent of advertising policy lines which have yet to be even debated.
It is a sorry situation.
