THE BROMSGROVE Liberal Democrats have reiterated their backing for the district council to adopt a committee system in a letter to the leaders of the other parties.
It has been sent to Coun Karen May (Conservative), Coun Peter McDonald (Labour) and Coun Charles Hotham (Independents).
The letter came from Lib Dem leader Coun Rob Hunter and was signed by the group’s four other councillors Siobhan Robinson, Josh Robinson, Sam Evans and Dr David Nicholl.
In our latest update over the weekend, we provided details of the pending support for a committee system with discussions on how the authority moves forward from its ‘hung’ predicament following the local elections.
In the Lib Dems’ letter, Coun Hunter said the people of Bromsgrove had given no party an overall mandate and wanted change – he said a system which ensured all councillors had a voice on behalf of the people they represented was key to moving forward, adding the group felt the committee model would deliver this.
He also gave the group’s view on the time frame for the change as it has been mooted that the current model – Leader and Cabinet – may have to continue to May next year.
“We want to achieve this change as soon as possible and believe that this can happen by September, however this system must be implemented properly and with scrutiny.
“We call for a committee run Bromsgrove District Council to be led by an independent non-party councillor to bridge the gap between political divides.
“Such a power sharing committee system of governance will be supported by the legal requirement to have membership of committees proportionate to the membership of the Council.
“A committee system of governance will allow the running of Bromsgrove District Council to be more open, transparent and will have greater involvement of residents’ views on their priorites for Bromsgrove.”
Coun Hunter also reiterated the Liberal Democrats’ priorities, which are:
- Reopen Artrix as provider of arts and entertainment services with a subsidy from the Council to get it back up on its feet.
- Tackle traffic with the council creating an independent study to assess sites for a relief road and other traffic options.
- Protect greenbelt with a focus on building the right homes in the right places with the right infrastructure.
- Regenerate Bromsgrove with a programme of much needed investment.
- Deliver a cleaner and greener Bromsgrove, with the Council working towards carbon neutrality.
Other parties, in the previous update, said ‘it would be hard to disagree with those priorities’, adding they would be in the best interests of the people of Bromsgrove.
Coun Hunter added in his letter: “Such a power sharing committee system of governance will be supported by the legal requirement to have membership of committees proportionate to the membership of the Council.
“A committee system of governance will allow the running of Bromsgrove District Council to be more open, transparent and will have greater involvement of residents’ views on their priorites for Bromsgrove.
“Committee systems already work successfully in many councils across our country such as Worcester, Cheshire East, Hartlepool, Kingston-upon-Thames, Wirral, Reading, Brighton and Hove, Sheffield City Council, Newark and Sherwood.
“To deliver this co-operative system of governance the Liberal Democrats support an immediate establishment of a working group of the Leader or Deputy Leader of each party to work with the officers to draw on best practice in this methodology and present a full proposal to council.”
The letter concluded by saying the group was pragmatic and willing to work with others across the political divide to deliver for residents.
It added, if there was insufficient support to implement a committee system of governance and unable to deliver on its key priorities, then the Liberal Democrats would continue to be a constructive opposition in the best interests of residents.
From speaking to the other parties, The Standard understands there would be a good chance of universal backing for the committee system.
What the other parties have said
Coun McDonald came out on Friday and said the Labour Group would be backing the committee system.
Independent Coun Hotham said: “We do need to come to some agreement but we cannot pre-empt anything before it has been decided.
“Personally, as someone who has long thought a committee system an effective way to run a council, it is definitely an option and not one I would disagree with.”
Coun Karen May, the leader of the Conservatives which has the most number of councillors with 11 but not enough for a majority, is due to meet with her group today where she will be taking the proposal to them, putting her perspective on it and canvassing their views.
“All the parties have worked very hard since last Thursday and we are definitely moving forward and making progress – and it is important we do for the good of all the people living in Bromsgrove district.”
