Councillors agree to changes that would see their number increase
ONLY THE CITY’S REFORM PARTY DISSENTED
AN increase in the number of councillors representing Derby residents on the city council has moved a step closer after current members of the authority gave their support to the proposed review by the Local Government Boundary Commission.
Only the councillors representing the Reform Derby group voted against supporting the review at the full council meeting on Wednesday evening. It could see the current number of councillors increase from 51 to 57.
The review could also result in redrawing some or all of the city’s ward boundaries after increasing the number to 19 from 17. This would enable each ward to still have three councillors.
Reform Derby councillor Tim Prosser said his party was not happy with the potential increase. He said: “We have councillors who are clearly not participating in the role already, which suggests we already have enough.
“A raise in councillors does not serve the people of this city but the power crazy ego of the city’s leadership. We should slash the number of councillors from three to two per ward.”
Council leader Chris Poulter addressed Mr Prosser’s remarks by saying that the commission had said that it had evidence that the number of councillors needed to increase and added: “We don’t get a choice in this review.
“The boundary commissions comes and tells us what they are going to do and when. That addresses one of the inaccuracies in your speech.”
Labour group leader Council- lor Baggy Shanker added his sup- port to the report going from the council to the submission agreeing that the increase should be by six councillors. But he added: “This is also an opportunity to move to allout council elections every four years, which would give more flexibility, has public support and would save money.”
Currently, the city operates a thirds electoral system, which means that a third of the councillors are up for reelection every year and the fourth year has no election.
In the past few years, there have been attempts to change to a four-year cycle but those proposing it have failed to get the necessary two-thirds majority of the members to vote despite 82% of the public being in favour during consultation. Mr Poulter told the council that the commission was conducting its review on the basis of thirds elections remaining in place. But he suggested that a motion on allout elections could come to the council chamber in November again. Liberal democrat leader Councillor Ruth Skelton “took exception” to Mr Shanker’s suggestion and pointed out that the council had already decided twice not to go down that route and that “everyone should just get on” with the boundary review. Councillor Lucy Care said that complaints had already been made about the slowness of response time in councillors responding to resident requests for help, which indicated more councillors are needed.
She added: “When Derby became a unitary authority there were 44 councillors and this was increased to 51. With increases in population, residents are not over-represented, we still need more.”
An increase in council size to 57 councillors would return the ratio of residents per councillor to the level previously set in 2001.
It would also represent an increase in the cost or savings in councillors’ allowances and the support services provided to elected members.
The current basic allowance for councillors is £11,523 per annum and six extra councillors would mean an extra £69,138, on top of the just over a £1 million it currently costs.
This went up from £876,349 a year after councillors voted for an increase, for the first time in 11 years, in basic allowances and special responsibility payments in July.
No increase in the number or level of special responsibility allowances is envisaged resulting from the proposed increase in councillor numbers.
The review will take place in two stages. Initially, the commission will decide the total number of councillors they are proposing to represent residents in the city which will be published by the end of October.
Then the commission will determine what ward pattern will best serve electoral equality for voters, protect local identity and ensure effective local government.
This will be subject to consultation from October 26 to January 3. By mid-May, draft recommendations will come back to the city council for consideration and further public consultation will take place from about May 2022 through to August 2022. The council has been asked to put together its proposal for submission by October 5 and final recommendations from the commission will be made in November 2022, with an order expected to be laid in Parliament shortly afterwards and an anticipated implementation date of May 2023. After the meeting, Mr Shanker said: “A key part for me in this is the need and opportunity again for us to move to whole council elections and four year cycles. We have consistently called for this in control and opposition. I think it’s one of the biggest and beneficial decisions for the city in a generation.”
The full council met for the second time this year in the Derby Loves You marquee in the Market Place to allow more space and ventilation. The meeting was broadcast on the council’s YouTube channel.
A raise in councillors does not serve the people of this city but the power crazy ego of the city’s leadership. Tim Prosser