The leader of the Liberal Democrats has hit out at the ‘stifling of democracy’ at West Sussex County Council. Dr James Walsh spoke out at a meeting on Friday (October, 17) after a debate into whether the council should change its governance system from cabinet-based to committee-based was ‘curtailed’ while several people were waiting to speak. Dr Walsh had tabled a notice of motion calling for the cabinet system to be scrapped, before agreeing to an amendment from Labour’s Michael Jones that it should be reviewed instead. As leader of Arun District Council he had already organised a review of governance there, with the intention of switching to the committee system in May. In a report to the meeting he said: "It is abundantly clear to all that there is a systemic failure of political leadership of West Sussex County Council encompassing all our major services, and further evidenced by the high turnover rate of most senior officers at director level, including chief executive, over the last few years, and the churn of cabinet members." Members were told that 70 staff at senior level had left their posts over the past ten years, adding that the lack of stability led to ‘low morale’ and was ‘staggering, unprecedented and probably unequalled in other local authorities’. There was no support for the idea from the ruling Conservatives. Michael Cloake (Con, Worthing Pier) said he understood why many opposition members were keen on a committee-based system, as it would give them a ‘lot greater influence’ than their numbers currently allowed. Mr Cloake added: "A committee system is wishy washy, it reduces accountability, it limits creativity, it stymies innovation and it focuses on the loudest person in the room not the best." Andrew Barrett-Miles (Con, Burgess Hill North) said: "I do not believe in leadership by committee. "You do not reach decent decisions through leadership by committee." The meeting broke for lunch while the debate was still on-going and was put straight to the vote afterwards, even though eight members were still waiting to speak. Dr Walsh said: "This is part of the problem. "The stifling of democracy in this council chamber is becoming a recurrent theme. "Whenever inconvenient things are discussed, there’s a clampdown, either from a cabinet member, from the leader or a scrutiny chairman." Several councillors commented on social media that the majority of people who had yet to speak were Tories. The amended motion was voted down. (By Karen Dunn - Local Democracy Reporter)
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