Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Leader’s bid for return to controversial cabinet
The leader of Canterbury City Council has unveiled his bid to return to a controversial cabinet-style of governance. Ben Fitter-harding wants to scrap the existing committee system, which he claims is “inefficient and slow” and demotes the role of the majority group, while putting too much power in the hands of council officers. “The system is broke and residents deserve better,” he says. Now, with the backing of fellow Tory members, he is proposing a new leader and cabinet system, similar to the type which existed under former leader John Gilbey until it was scrapped in 2015.
But his motion for change, which is due to go before the full council for decision next Thursday (April 29) is unlikely to go down well with opposition councillors, who will likely see it as a further power grab.
It will also likely anger local campaign groups who have been calling for increased democracy. Cllr Fitter-harding has already come under fire for, what some say, is his authoritarian style of leadership, but he insists it will work better for residents who can judge him and fellow Conservative councillors at the next local elections.
It is also being timed to coincide with an internal reorganisation of the council, which he says will make it easier for portfolio holders to work more closely with service heads of departments at the authority. Explaining his thinking, he said: “Back in 2015, a seismic shift occurred at the city council, the effects of which have steadily snowballed over the last six years and brought us to where we are today. “Under this existing committee system approach, elected councillors have a very limited role. We pass a corporate plan, setting out priorities for the years ahead, and then the council’s officers bring reports about various things to committees for us to decide upon.
“That all sounds very nice, until you realise that the councillors elected to keep the place free from dog poo, make sure planning breaches get sorted out and get the bins collected each week actually have very little involvement in how the council runs.
“I think in terms of accountability it’s actually far better for our residents to have a cabinet in place with portfolio holders and a leader who is a figurehead of the council.”
Cllr Fitter-harding likens the existing set-up to a “permanent coalition”, adding: “It’s inefficient, slow, and with control placed primarily with council officers who, although are excellent in many different ways, are not elected by residents and don’t answer to them.” Under the new system, which would be implemented in May next year if approved, the council would be led by a cabinet of Conservatives, with portfolio holders directly overseeing critical council functions. Cabinet members will have more ability to direct officers before and after decisions are taken.
Statutory committees, like planning and licensing, would remain but there would be a new overview and scrutiny committee to examine and challenge proposals.
Cllr Fitter-harding admits his style is more authoritarian than his immediate predecessors and expects to “take the flack” when things go wrong.
But he also argues that the district elected a majority Conservative administration to deliver on the party’s objectives, which he says are being stifled by the committee system and officer control.
Opposition councillors were due to learn of the move when the agenda for the next full council meeting was released yesterday (Wednesday). An embargo was placed on the details until the publication of the agenda, which had not been circulated to councillors at the time the Gazette went to press, stifling our ability to source reaction.
See next week’s Gazette for the response of opposing groups.