The Worst Possible Option?
Readers will be aware that the judge has ruled on the Petition Case. In short, Newham Council acted in a correct manner when they refused to accept the petition.
What he did not rule on and what he could not pass any comment on, was the indecent haste by which Newham Labour Group set about to subvert the process. Having been forced into the situation, Mayor Fiaz put together contingency plans. Knowing that to avoid consideration of the Leader and Cabinet model the council would have to put together an alternative model to the Labour Group.
The petition sought a Leader and Cabinet model, roughly a halfway house between the mayoral and the committee model. The benefits of the cabinet model were that it is possible to deliver a coherent policy programme.
The Labour Group was whipped to support a Leader and Committee model. The benefits of this accrue largely to councillors and it is a model that suits game players more than those interested in consistent service delivery.
Both models allow for annual musical chairs, which reduces the capacity for consistency in policy development and implementation. Rather like US congressmen, no sooner do Chairs get into position than they have to start campaigning to get in again next year.
The other, largely unspoken result of the committee system is that it puts much more power in the hands of the staff to determine what is and is not politically viable. All the while saying ‘yes councillor’, ‘right away, councillor’ to satisfy the egos of their political masters (huh!); think Yes Minister.
We understand that Newham Council have commissioned a training video (edited version) to assist councillors and aspirants for office.
As to the efficacy of the different models in serving the residents of the borough, it might be illustrative to look at the achievements of say 1980-2000 and 2000-2020. (Anyone willing to volunteer?)
Let us suggest something radical about the governance model; it should be the best model to deliver the best outcomes for the people of the borough. As it is, all of our councillors, our has-beens and our wannabes focus on how well it meets the needs of aspirant politicians.
Cllr Gray shared a motion from Forest Gate North. You might think that motions are there to influence the policy of the council. But in this case the council has already agreed a policy. We tend to think that it is the least good of the available options, but they have decided what will go on the referendum paper as an alternative to the mayoral model.
Given that there is nothing to influence then, in terms of decisions, we pondered upon the reasoning for such a motion. It appears it is there to create a group-think about what is and is not acceptable.
They stress the removal of the hierarchy. Clearly it was written by someone without experience of Committee Chairs and without experience of the hierarchy of committees.
Tellingly it includes the following:
Apart from being tosh, it shows that the new model is not about better governance for Newham, it is about getting more snouts in the trough. Some older and former councillors and some newer councillors have exchanged thoughts on the matter via Facebook.
