Cheshire East Council’s change from cabinet to committee has seen the end of a system which brought “ignominy to this council, with police investigations into some decisions”, a councillor said.
Councillors from all parties agreed the committee system, which replaced the cabinet system in May last year, had so far been successful.
Cllr Steve Carter (Lab) said: “All members are now decision makers. We have the empowerment of councillors.
“And what did we have? We had decisions made by a small, closed group.
“Sometimes those decisions were made hidden.
“It was a system, I’m sad to say, that brought ignominy to this council, with police investigations into some of those decisions.”
Liberal Democrat group leader Rod Fletcher said his group supported the new system.
“We think it is a very, very big improvement on some of the disasters of the previous years of the cabinet running this council,” said Cllr Fletcher.
“Basically now, most of the 82 Cheshire East councillors will have some say and a vote on what happens, before it was just 10 people [cabinet members] and quite often those decisions had been made at informal cabinet before the cabinet meeting even took place.”
He did say there could still be improvements with regards to public questions at committees.
Conservative group leader Janet Clowes (Wybunbury) said it was early days to say it had been a success but added “it’s going well” so far.
But she said there were many committee items where councillors were asked just to note reports and only read papers rather than make a decision.
Deputy council leader Craig Browne (Alderley Edge, Ind) said he was interested in whether residents felt that better decisions are being made.
“For example, in 2018 the then cabinet made a decision to sign a 15-year highways contract worth up to £600m,” he said.
“Now many residents still don’t feel that that was a good decision.
“By contrast, last September our highways committee decided not to implement harmonised parking charges and I’m sure many of the residents of Middlewich, Alsager and Sandbach think that that was a good decision.
“So under the former system, a decision could be scrutinised to the nth degree but we all know it wouldn’t have made any difference at all.
“The new system is a complete contrast. Decisions are challenged, and the only thing that the administration can be sure of is that bad decisions won’t get through.”
Council leader Cllr Sam Corcoran said from an administrative point of view, the committee system has been a success.
“In the main, the committee meetings have discussed business in a timely and informed way and have reached decisions.
“The costs have been within budget, a budget that has not increased from the cabinet system.
“Some decisions have been unexpected and, whilst I accept the officers who have spent time preparing reports and setting out recommendations may be perturbed when changes are made by committees, that is part of democratic control of the council, and it is a natural outcome of involving more councillors in open decision making.”
A further annual review report will be presented to full council in July 2023.
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