Council leader hails greater transparency
South Lanarkshire Council is to make key documents available earlier to the public in a move towards greater openness.
The new SNP administration proposed that reports that are scheduled to go before resource committees and the full council should be made public seven calendar days ahead of meetings.
This would replace the current requirement that they be publicly available just three working days before meetings.
The change was outlined at the meeting of the council last week by the administration’s business manager Peter Craig, and was welcomed by council leader John Ross.
Councillor Ross said: “We promised in our manifesto that we would make the council more open and transparent, and this is an important part of delivering that.
“By making reports available a full week before each meeting, it ensures that members of the public will know what is going on and have an opportunity, should they wish, to make their views known.
“It will also give councillors more time to consider reports and draw their conclusions so they can better represent their local communities. This is an important step in our ongoing move towards greater transparency, and there will be more to follow.”
Cllr Craig outlined the plan last week but a formal motion will have to wait until December to comply with standing orders. These require six months before council decisions can be revisited, and the current standing orders were agreed in May.
“While we have to comply with these standing orders I am pleased to say that the chief executive has made it clear that officers will work towards making reports publicly available as early as possible”added Cllr Craig.