Council needs to find way to make sure decisions are made in public
SINCE becoming leader of the opposition of the council, Coun Brian Essex has ensured his monthly column in this paper has become one of the best sources for what’s actually going on at the council.
It shouldn’t be this way. The ruling Labour group on the council insist they want to be open and accountable, but trying to take big decisions about spending behind closed doors means they are currently coming up short on that ambition.
It’s over a month since Rossendale council met, largely in secret, to discuss an ‘investment property purchase report’ which was described as ‘key to delivering the council’s corporate strategy and medium term financial strategy.’
What was being purchased, if anything, was not disclosed, or the costs.
Then the council, still in private, discussed what was to happen with the second phase of the Spinning Point development, which apparently is ‘key to delivering the Vision for Rawtenstall and the council’s corporate strategy.’
But apparent commercial confidentiality prevented it from being discussed in public.
If that was the advice the ruling Labour group got, fair enough.
But a commitment to openness means challenging such advice, and finding a way to hear things in public.
So we find ourselves relying on the slim information Coun Essex can reveal in his column in this paper.
We learn that a cross-political committee of councillors will look at plans for Spinning Point before returning with concrete proposals – hopefully to be discussed in public.
He also talks about concern his opposition party have about the ‘level of risk’ the council had proposed involving ‘huge sums of money.’
Surely decisions like this shouldn’t be made in private – especially as neighbouring councils like Blackburn with Darwen have found ways to ensure similar decisions are made in public.
With the greatest of respect to Coun Essex, details like this shouldn’t be emerging via his column in the local paper – they should be coming to us from the ruling Labour group.
Heck, it’s not like they don’t have their own ‘news’ website to provide such information, as used when they announced their promise of a ‘world famous’ hotel brand coming to Rawtenstall at Spinning Point.
There was at least part of the meeting which was held in public, when a series of motions put forward by councillors were heard.
One, by the Tories, called for changes to the way the public could ask questions at full council meetings, providing the chance for people to ask more than one question, and for any spare time at the end of public questions to be given to councillors to ask questions of the council.
Crucially, the Tories called for Question Time to become part of full council meetings, instead of being held just before. This would mean the questions, and answers, would go in the public minutes of the meeting, something senior Labour councillors have previously said they stopped because of the time, and cost, associated with it.
All sensible proposals for a council which wants to be open, and be seen to be open?
No – Labour councillors voted it down. One of the arguments put forward against the plan was that Lancashire county council doesn’t have a Question Time as part of meetings either.
Oddly, when LCC leader Geoff Driver defended his decision to ban backbench councillors from speaking at cabinet meetings, he cited Rossendale council as a council which offers even fewer opportunities than his council for voices other than the ruling party to be heard.
The price of seeing democracy in action? About £1.10 for a Free Press to read Coun Essex’s column. Surely, that’s not the way it should be?
The Scribbler’s views do not necessarily represent those of the Free Press. Let us know your views by emailing freepressnews@ menmedia.co.uk.