Proposals lead to new calls (From Gazette Series)

Proposals lead to new calls

RADICAL proposals to overhaul the district council's two watchdog committees have sparked calls for a fresh look at how the council monitors its own policies.

Last month the Gazette revealed how Stroud District Council was paying experts from RADA almost £4,500 to teach the 24 scrutiny committee members how to ask questions.

But this week former council leader Cllr John Stephenson-Oliver proposed scrapping the committees after saying the current system was not doing the job properly.

"The overview and scrutiny function of Stroud District Council has not yet developed to the stage that it is considered to be an important factor in the way this council conducts its business," he told members of the regeneration and resources scrutiny committee last Thursday.

"As a consequence, motivation within the committees is beginning to falter. There is a general feeling that we need to rethink the model and the culture that surrounds it.

"Put bluntly, we need to breathe new life into overview and scrutiny."

At present the council has two scrutiny committees, each with 12 members. Cllr Stephenson-Oliver (Con, Painswick) proposed abolishing this in favour of smaller eight-man committees led by a steering group, which would include a cabinet member.

Labour leader Hilary Fowles (Dursley) said the problem lay with the Conservative cabinet.

"It is not taking on board anything that comes from us," she said.

"If the administration has to have one of them in this steering group of three to take scrutiny seriously there is something very wrong within this council."

The committee agreed to call for a full council meeting in June to discuss the future of the scrutiny system.