Politicians don blindfolds to attack ‘secrecy’ (UK)

Politicians don blindfolds to attack 'secrecy'

Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB

Published: 18 January 2008

 
 

 

Labour councillors Barry Edwards (left0 and Gary Doolan

Politicians don blindfolds to attack 'secrecy'

 
 

Opposition claims: We are kept in dark as reports are marked confidential

 
 

BLINDFOLDED and holding a copy of a confidential report, Labour councillors Gary Doolan and Barry Edwards have staged a protest at what they see as increased secrecy at the Town Hall.

They are taking a stand against procedural changes which they say prevent them holding the ruling Lib Dems to account.

From the end of last year, only a limited number of councillors have been allowed to set eyes on documents marked "exempt", which carry details of the council's most important, and often most controversial, decisions.

The papers can be seen by party leaders, whips, executive members, those who chair scrutiny panels and members of any relevant panel. But other councillors must apply for permission to view "exempt" documents.

The protesting councillors claim they need to see all the papers to know which ones are relevant. To make their point, they have begun the time-consuming policy of calling in every decision relating to an "exempt" report. This means members of the relevant overview committee can examine it.

Labour chief whip Councillor Richard Watts, who is allowed to see the "exempt" documents, said: "It's absolutely crucial information to councillors in their role of holding the executive to account. If I show a report to a councillor who is not allowed to see it, it would be as bad as if I showed it to a journalist. There could be an investigation. It could go to the Standards Board.

"What has the council got to hide? We have a moral imperative to bear in mind the public interest. We will break these rules if we think there's a public interest to do so."

Cllr Doolan said: "The Liberal Democrats have said they won't let us see their secret reports. In the past, they've got decisions like the Care UK scandal and other dodgy deals through in these reports. We all know why they're trying to hide them from public scrutiny.

"I fully debate the issues on behalf of my constituents because I'm on their side. But the Liberal Democrats won't give us the rights of full information."

Labour councillor Martin Klute added: "There should be a presumption that we should see all exempt reports. Louise Round [borough solicitor] said we can't see them unless we have a reason so we have to guess what's in the reports to know if we want to see them.

"It's yet another way to keep the opposition members in the dark about what's going on in the executive. The power balance in the council is about 50-50 so there's no justification. It's like they're running their own Official Secrets Act."

He added: "Every time anything goes to the executive with a restricted report we automatically have to call it in just to find out what it is. It makes us look antagonistic."

A Town Hall spokesman said the decision to tighten up rules covering the distribution of confidential reports was taken by the council following a review in October.

"This concluded that, because exempt reports contained highly sensitive information, the numbers being routinely distributed should be reduced to avoid inadvertent breaches of confidentiality," the spokesman added. "This is in line with national legislation – and it's an approach taken by many other local authorities.

"Confidential reports are routinely provided to members of the committee due to consider them, for example, the executive. Apart from executive members, exempt executive reports are now only sent automatically to the leader of the opposition and chairs of overview and review committees.

"Other Liberal Democrat, Labour or Green members can request copies of specific reports. Since the changes were made in October, only two specific requests have been made by councillors to see them – both of which have been granted."

 
 

Inserted from <http://www.thecnj.co.uk/islington/2008/011808/inews011808_07.html>