31
May
Constitution change proposal an attempt to 'stifle debate and gag opposition'
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A move to make councillors consider the financial implications of any proposed policy change at North Yorkshire Council has been described as an attempt to “stifle debate and gag opposition”.
The recommendation was made by deputy leader Councillor Gareth Dadd in the wake of the row over changes to home-to-school transport policy, which the authority made in a bid to cut the £50 million spent on the service every year.
At the council’s regular executive meeting this week, Cllr Dadd said financial projects for the council were “not rosy by any stretch of the imagination”.
He added:
We’ve already declared at the time of budget setting in February a recurring deficit, black hole, call it what you wish, of about £34 million to £35 million per year.
That has a strong likelihood of increasing should the government spending review progress, as we suggest it may possibly progress.
Proposing a change to the council’s constitution, he said: “I would like with the chair’s permission to add another recommendation that we request the constitutional working group to look at embedding formally within the constitution a form of words that forces anybody coming in the future with policy changes, motions, call it what you wish, for a full financial implication to be detailed. I think, given the financial climate, that will be imperative."
As well as recommending that future motions to change policy include financial implications, Cllr Dadd also proposed that the member working group on the constitution look at requiring the inclusion of climate change and equality impact assessments.
'Wreaking havoc with people’s lives'
But Cllr Andrew Murday, speaking for North Yorkshire Liberal Democrats, described the proposal as “another cynical attempt by the Conservative and Independent group on North Yorkshire Council to stifle debate and gag any opposition to their policies”.
He added:
Those policies are wreaking havoc with people’s lives, most recently with the changes to home-to-school transport.
Far from being financially prudent, Cllr Dadd is currently having to find millions of pounds to deal with an overspend on the Kex Gill road project.
The council finds itself responsible for this only too predictable overspend because of what has been described as a botched contractual agreement with the Department of Transport.
Cllr Stuart Parsons, leader of the Independent Group on the authority, added:
It suggests to me that officers are going to have to work even harder because they have to give equality of access to the information to all political groups.
It seems to me like yet another spiteful attempt to stifle debate and/or overwork officers.
At the meeting last week, the council voted to keep the controversial new policy of only offering free transport to a child’s nearest school, rather than the previous rule of giving bus passes to children’s catchment schools.
A motion to change the policy back to return to the use of catchment was put forward by opposition councillors in response to anger over the change from parents.
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