MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Simon Holbrook
Date of Issue: February 4th 2011
Contact numbers:
07786 676177
Lib Dem office: 0151 691 8544

LIB DEMS MOVE TO MAKE THE COUNCIL MORE DEMOCRATIC AND ACCOUNTABLE

In a notice of motion to be debated at Full Council on 14th February, the Wirral Liberal Democrat Group will call for the council to move towards a more inclusive system of governance. Councils are widely expected to be given the power to decide how they prefer to run themselves as a result of legislation due to be passed as part of the Government's Localism and Decentralisation Bill, currently progressing through Parliament.

Liberal Democrat Leader and proposer of the motion, Councillor Simon Holbrook said, "Steps should be taken now to prepare for a move towards a modernised committee structure with significant powers delegated to the local level. The more inclusive nature of a committee system is better suited to the political realities of Wirral where no single political party is able to command an overall majority.  A committee system will also adapt better to any changes in the voting system that might follow the Alternative Vote referendum.

"We expect the legislation to come through sometime in the summer but we don't want to wait around. The partnership agreement made between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Groups after the last elections committed us to consideration of how a committee system might be re-introduced so we should start looking now at how we can make it work so that all councillors are involved in and accountable for making real decisions on matters that affect their residents ."

The full text of the Liberal Democrat Notice of Motion is as follows:

Democratic Reform and Localism

Proposed by:    Cllr Simon Holbrook
Seconded by:    Cllr Gill Gardiner

  1. Council welcomes the measures in the Localism and Decentralisation Bill, published 13th December 2010 that will:
    • Involve people more closely in the workings of their communities
    • Diversify the way services are provided
    • Reduce the interference of central government in local and community matters
  2. Council particularly welcomes the amendment of Pt 2 of the Local Government Act 2000, giving the flexibility for local authorities to propose their own preferred governance structures.
  3. Council notes that the partnership agreement between the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Groups commits the current administration to consideration of how a committee system might be re-introduced and to enhancing the role of all elected members of the Council and seeking mechanisms that will allow the delegation of significant amounts of executive authority to members.
  4. Council also notes the commitment of the current Conservative and Liberal Democrat administration to embedding processes which engage the public in the Council's decision making.
  5. Council further notes the establishment and work of the Council's Localism Commission under the leadership of Cllr Kelly, preparing the way for a substantial devolution of functions and budgets to local neighbourhoods.
  6. Council believes that steps should be taken now to prepare for a move towards a modernised committee structure, creating a more democratic council with the opportunity for all Councillors to be involved in making real decisions on matters that affect their residents, and being held accountable for them.
  7. Therefore, in anticipation of the Localism Bill being given Royal Assent, Council instructs the Director of Law HR and Asset Management to immediately begin holding and facilitating discussions between the three party leaders to develop a new governance model for Wirral, within existing resources, to be ready to come into operation at the at the earliest opportunity within the 2011/12 municipal year once the relevant legislation is in place.