Page 6 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • June 2001
Council cabinet system set to continue Moves to set up
Will consultation be meaningful? Should we not seriously consider an elected Mayor? Swindon
Under the Local Government Act 2000, local councils are required to find out from the public what they Civic Trust
think about local authority organisation and have an agreed structure in place by March 2002.
'Building better places' is a slo-
In Swindon a consultation pro- inviting comment, but moving faster. It also gan used by the national Civic
cedure is underway, but in a dis- not offering the chance frees up many council- Trust. Now Swindon is to have
tinctly half-hearted and, some peo- for public discussion in, lors to concentrate on one, giving people a voice that is
ple might suggest, a particularly say, an area panel. policy development and independent of party political af-
biased way. Swindon Council will improved constituency filiation, which focuses on the
A year ago the council re-organ- maintain the cabinet work as well as play an good of the town.
ised itself. Committees with re- system whilst the con- active part in scrutinis- With so many local issues to do
sponsibility for different aspects sultation is in process. ing in more depth the with planning and development
of council activity were wiped Continuing this set-up work of the council to coming to the boil, Swindon needs
away and replaced by a cabinet of after the next council ensure that the taxpayer a local forum for citizens to learn
councillors with 'lead member sta- elections in 2002 seems gets value for money: about, discuss and get involved in
tus,' an array of commissions and to be the preferred op- perhaps that is one rea- shaping the future of the town,
ratification committees, and six tion. son why taxpayers in Swindon and the local neighbourhoods that
area panels of councillors meeting Councillor Barrie Thompson, have the lowest council tax in the make it so interesting.
in the community, with the oppor- above, cabinet member for partner- South West." These include:
tunity for the public to put ques- ships and equalities, thought that In the video, the government • the town centre study for the
tions and raise points of view. elected mayors might be suited to emphasises that it wants to see in next 30 years;
The question the council is re- large conurbations, but not Swin- place a system that allows the pub- • another city status bid;
quired to ask the people is whether don. "If we had a directly elected lic to form a clear idea about who is • trams and traffic congestion;
the cabinet system should con- mayor, all the power for all serv- responsible for each decision taken • housing, green spaces;
tinue, or whether there should be ices would reside in one pair of on its behalf. It may require quite a • cultural activity;
an elected mayor to carry out coun- hands. I and most other members few modifications to the cabinet • leadership and citizenship;
cil business, with or without as- of the council hope that they will system to achieve this. For instance, - all these and more are tackled
sistance from a council manager. stay with the cabinet system." the issue of future education pro- by civic trusts across the country.
During March and April, area Coun Thompson accepted that vision in the Northern Sector has Local authorities elsewhere of-
panels viewed a video setting out modifications were required to the been the subject of attention by at ten welcome the informed input
the options for managing the coun- cabinet system tried out over the least six different bodies within that such bodies offer, helping to
cil after 2002. Few people will have past year, with, for instance, cabi- the council, bemusing for the peo- achieve constructive input instead
known about the video as there net members' portfolios being sim- ple of the area. of confrontational re-actions. But
was no publicity. plified to cut out duplication. "On The question may well be posed not in Swindon, where interest
A leaflet will be distributed in the whole, I like the system be- as to whether a directly elected groups slog away, often in heroic
June setting out the options, and cause it enables things to start mayor might provide greater clar- isolation.
ity. After all, we would know The first Swindon Civic Trust
where the buck stops. Apparently, steering group meeting takes place
on Saturday 16 June, 11am, Swin-
most councillors have formed a
rure W outcome of public consultation. don College. If the above rings
contrary view whilst awaiting the
bells, call Martha Parry on 528095.
Area panels to have own budget
^
Tax payers' money is being filtered to a lower level of decision
making after a Swindon Council decision to extend the responsibili-
ties of area panels and give them powers to spend money on environ-
mental improvements, play areas and community facilities.
The amount each panel will re- for the future and problems with
ceive will be based on £1,000 per new school buildings. The provi-
Tables X I 95.00 councillor: the North panel will sion of dog bins in response to a
petition raised by Westlea pupil
get £12,000, the West £9,000.
Beverley Harris has been a success
Councillor Barrie Thompson,
five sizes from said that there was a degree of for the West Panel. Generally road
Chairs X49.00 cynicism amongst some council- safety, rubbish collection and lit-
ter have been often raised topics.
lors who thought that panels
With or without arms from (seat cushions also available) would be little more than talking Blunsdon councillor Doreen
Parasols £139 shops when the system was intro- Dart, chair of the North Panel
agreed that the role is still devel-
duced. "But I have not had one
green/cream councillor say anything other than oping, but the public does get an-
praise for the system, nor have I swers when local concerns are
Benches X295.00 had any adverse comments of any aired. She thought the spending
powers would help raise greater
significance from the general pub-
4 to choose from lic who see the panels as their op- awareness of the panels. "The
portunity to raise local issues and amount of money which the pan-
get them acted upon." els will have to spend is not great
Call in NOW to enjoy xour He acknowledged that frustra- when spread throughout the area
tion is sometimes felt when covered", she cautioned, "but it is
progress in implementing propos- a useful start."
als takes time, but said this is in- Dates of future meetings will be
c i
evitable with the way in which announced in The Link when they
local government works. have been agreed. Different ven-
The major issue debated by the ues in each panel area are used to
North Panel has been education make them accessible to as many
provision, both overall planning people as possible.