Over the last few months there have been considerable changes in the Northamptonshire County Council. As with the rest of life this is a mixture of positives and negatives.
Shortly after the implementation of the first section 114 (effective declaration of bankruptcy), Council meeting ceased to be webcast. This has now be re-instated and makes decision making considerable more transparent. The Council's scrutiny committees, which were aligned with the Council’s directorates, were scrapped to have one single overview and scrutiny committee in the autumn. On the positive side, for the first time in fourteen years, (since the administration took control) the chair and one of the vice chair positions were given to opposition councillors. At the beginning of the year, the administration decided that the only councillors that could speak at cabinet would be portfolio holders, the leader and one speaker from each political group. This has the impact of making it quite difficult for back bench councillors to get their voice heard. As a mitigation to this, councillors are now allowed to put questions to portfolio holders on the content of the cabinet papers. These are generally responded to on the day of cabinet, very shortly before the cabinet meetings, and neither the questions nor the answers are published.
For the cabinet due to take place on Tuesday 9th July, I have submitted the following questions:
1.
I am concerned about the Council’s compliance with the equality act in respect of paying due regard to equality when making decisions.
For this cabinet not one cabinet paper has been equality impact assessed despite two key decisions being made. The administration has repeatedly stressed that it is committed to ensuring that the practice of the Council is of a high standard and delivering good results for all Northamptonshire’s communities. However, I am concerned that there is not transparency in decision making and the way that this impacts the diversity in local communities.
Do cabinet members agree or disagree with this? If they disagree can they advise how they are paying due regard to equality in their decision making?
2.
There has been a drastic change to the senior management structure of the organisation and a massive reduction in specialists in the authority over the course of the administration’s tenure. These posts would have critically provided support to this kind of analysis to assist cabinet members in taking decisions. I put it that the administration is not paying due regard to equality and this is in breach of legislative requirements.
Do cabinet members agree or disagree with this? Can cabinet member advise how they are getting advice on the equality impact on key decisions and advise how that is documented?
3.
On the establishment
of minor works budget for maintained schools, Over the last few years staff have raising in the CCNF
concern about the information available relating to asbestos in schools. From
the information given by officers event within local authority supported
schools there is no clear picture as to the need for action on Asbestos in
schools. This is of sufficient priority that not one but all the unions have
voiced concern about this. Given this maybe the nature of the activity
undertaken it would be salient to ensure that there was an analysis to ensure
that decisions about what to under take and where were informed by an Equality
Impact Assessment.
Given that this is a key decisions I believe to demonstrate
due regard to equality and EqIA is necessary.
Do cabinet members
agree or disagree with this? Can cabinet member advise how they are getting
advice on the equality impact on key decisions and advise how that is
documented?
4. Corporate Performance Report 2018-19 quarter 4
I express concern about the increase in permanent exclusions
I express concern about the increase in electively home
educated children
Can the cabinet member provide an
analysis of the age/gender/race/disability/SEND breakdown of this? It has not been supplied in previous requests.
I express concern about Delayed Transfers of Care (DTOC)
Can the cabinet member provide an analysis of the
age/gender/race/disability breakdown of this?
I express concern about the reduction in referrals to
Children’s Social Care and reductions in rate of child protection plans
What action is the cabinet member undertaking to address
the causes of this?
UPDATE
No response was received before the meeting although one cabinet member (Cllr Fiona Baker - Childrens services portfolio holder) did assure me that she would email a lengthy response.
You can view the Cabinet meeting here.
You can view the Cabinet meeting here.
