Page 4 - link magazine

4 The Link Magazine • August 2002
Teething problems as new council system takes shape Wider discussions
Swindon Borough Council, like all large local authorities, has reshaped the way it handles the decision After two years of operation,
making process after the Local Government Act 2000 insisted that the system of committees, a feature of Swindon Council's attempts to
local authorities for over 100 years, be abandoned. take council business closer to
the people through area panels is
Following a consultation exer- A major objective of the 2000 budget involving major cutbacks
cise and with the experience of a Act is to produce a system which in arts and cultural activities, as being changed to become less
year's trial during 2001, the coun- allows the public to understand well as signficant reductions in community based.
cil has opted for a cabinet style easily who is responsible for mak- grants to voluntary organisations. The panels bring together ward
administration. How well this sys- ing decisions. Yet a point re-iter- At the last council meeting of councillors in a public forum to
tem has functioned over the first ated throughout the audit is the the year before the elections La- discuss local issues, council poli-
year of operation has been re- 'lack of clarity around roles and bour put forward a council tax rise cies and also points of concern
viewed by external auditors, RMS responsibilities, of both individu- of 15.5 which was agreed. raised by residents of an area.
Robson Rhodes. Their report, als and different bodies,' summed The six panels have been re-
Democratic Renewal: The Moderni- up by one interviewee: 'issues just duced to four, covering larger ar-
eas. Whereas the west panel was
sation of Local Government in Szvin- get tangled up in a messy structure.' discrete in the three West Swindon
don, highlights some problems ex- If councillors and officers have wards, these are now combined
perienced by the councillors and problems understanding the sys- with Penhill, Gorsehill, Pinehurst,
officers operating within the new tem, which on paper looks like an Moredon and Western ward, an
t the Swindon Council taxpayers which includes Abbey Meads,
structure. upturned bowl of spaghetti, there increase from 8 to 19 councillors.
must be even greater problems for
In North Swindon, the panel
they serve. The report does not
RLPy
Haydon Wick, Blunsdon and
more aware of the situation or have
om lete Pro e p y identify whether people became Highworth has 10 councillors.
The panels now meet four times a
Maintenance Services been put off by the political hiatus Year, instead of six, though they have
+ Kitchens over past months. Council chief executive Paul Doherty discretion to meet more often.
+ Bathrooms Last October Labour gave up its In November the council could Shaw and Nine Elms councillor
long running control of the coun-
+ Renovations cil after Ofsted failed its education have opted to have an elected Nick Martin questions the rel-
+ Industrial maintenance mayor but decided against the evance of the new arrangeements.
department, to let the Conserva-
+ Plumbing tives run things for the first time in move. The Link highlighted the "TheWestSwindonareapanelwas
+ Electrical 25 years, until the May elections inadquate consultation exercise starting to make headway and
+ Carpentry when Labour took back control, that took place at the time. more people were attending to put
Floor & wall tiling albeit without an overall majority. The auditors acknowledge that questions and take part in discus-
+ Painting & decorating The Conservatives took the op- the council is currently achieving sions of local issues. We now have
portunity to look at council spend- against most of the requirements panels with peculiar geographical
Mobile: 07785 522377 ing and generated a huge storm of on their checklist. One officer relationships, a lack of common
Tel: 01793 616170 protest when they put forward a quoted that the new process is interest, and no budget or legal
'probably a better system.' authority."
An Action Plan to improve clar- But council leader Sue Bates said
ity and accountability is being im- the previous system was not fi-
plemented and will be monitored nancially efficient and panels were
by the auditors, not well attended. "Reducing the
In July another set of auditors panels to four means that we have
started a comprehensive perform- been able to put wards that have
ance assessment' which one officer common issues together and are
described as the 'mother of all in- ! next-door to one another geo-
spections.' graphically. This allows major is-
This will bring together all the sues to be debated directly with
inspections and published per- residents of Swindon.
formance indicators on the council "We are also looking at devolv-
for a report in December. ing central funds for local use."

the link Magazine

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'Tel: (01793) 872282
Fax: (01793) 878189 The Link was first published for the West
e: [email protected] Swindon community in December 1978.
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Publisher/Editor: Roger Ogle leisure centre in 1984. Distribution in North
Editorial: Tel: (01793) 872282 Swindon commenced in January 1994."
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