Time to defend local democracy in Brighton and Hove
10 February 2008
Green Councillors are calling for controversial changes to the way Brighton and Hove City Council is run to be delayed to allow time for more public involvement.
The councillors are organising a public meeting on 26 February at the Friends Meeting House, Ship Street, where the proposed changes will be debated.
They will propose a five point plan they feel is vital to saving democracy in the city.
Greens say that the Labour Government is imposing changes on the council, forcing it to do away with the more open traditional committee system of decision-making in favour of a less accountable 'Cabinet style' system.
At present, the committees are made up of a mix of elected councillors, proportional to their parties’ share of the seats they hold.
However, the council has until May 2009 to implement the new system, and Greens are concerned that the administration is bringing in the changes with unseemly haste, allowing for just two weeks of public consultation.
Cllr Keith Taylor, Convener of the Green Group (pictured left) said; "The Tory administration is rushing ahead with fundamental changes to the council decision making processes.
"More time is required to get this right, and the citizens of Brighton and Hove need to be properly involved.”
The Greens’ five-point plan is for:
1. More time to allow meaningful member and public involvement and consideration over this fundamental change;
2. Tory leader Brian Oxley to consider the council's desire for a cross party cabinet;
3. If no cross-party cabinet, then opposition chairs of scrutiny committees;
4. Committee-like cabinet and Executive Member Meetings with fixed proportionate membership and automatic (not discretionary) speaking rights for committee members to maintain proper debate;
5. A decentralised budget system at ward level.
Keith Taylor continues "With a no overall council like ours, we think there is a good case for a cross-party executive and opposition councillors to chair scrutiny committees to examine both policies and decisions.
"It’s also vital that decisions are properly debated as they are made – with all parties’ spokespeople having speaking rights in Cabinet and Executive Member meetings.
"In denying this fundamental democratic right both the Tories and Labour are threatening to dismantle a vital strand of our local democracy."
"To illustrate this point, without cross party interventions, the original programme for new communal bins would simply have been imposed on the city six months ago, without any consultation.
"That only happened because currently all parties have speaking rights at committees.”
The new system has already been introduced in many parts of the country, and Brighton and Hove is one of the last major authorities to hold out for traditional democratic values.
The public meeting is to be held in the Lecture Room at the Friends Meeting House in Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AF on Tuesday 26th February at 7.00pm.
The leaders of all the council's political groups, inclluding Jayne Bennett (Independent Member), have been invited to attend the meeting, which will be independently chaired.
Councillor Taylor said, "We urge as many people as possible to attend the meeting to find out for themselves the true implications of these changes.
"We want them to examine alternative models of local government, so that the public can make their voices heard, and have a say in how their city will be run in the future.”
The Greens are also asking people to write, voicing their concerns, to Councillor Brian Oxley, Hove Town Hall, Kings House, Grand Avenue, Hove, BN3 2LS
Notes to editors:
For further information, contact Lizzie Deane, External Communications Co-ordinator, on 07899 843206You are warmly invited this event at the Friends Meeting House in Ship Street, Brighton, BN1 1AF on Tuesday 26th February at 7.00pm.
Media: Councillor Keith Taylor is available for interview, please contact Lizzie Deane.
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