Another Change to the Council?

This compulsory exercise is a residual effect of the previous (Labour) Government, who again are requiring Local Authorities to revise their political management, at significant public cost (i.e. from your tax money and mine) including the inevitable public consultation.

This time, instead of three choices (as we had in 2001), there are just two alternatives: either the so-called "strong Leader" Cabinet-and-Scrutiny system Medway Council operates now, or a directly-elected mayor and Cabinet. A simple online questionnaire (but with a cluster of additional questions as well) has been provided to aid that consultation.

I recognise the dangers in the "elected mayor" option, while also seeing its superficial attractions. Indeed, the mayoral option could have been made good enough to be worthy of selection, but it hasn't been. Most significantly, unlike with a Leader-based model, there is expressly no provision to eject a poorly or badly performing elected mayor, and we'd be stuck with him or her for the full four-year term come what may.

There are other no-noes as well, though some of them could be overcome satisfactorily in a system that had been properly thought out, which this one clearly has not (unless the demerits were intentional). Therefore I have answered to keep the existing system, when I completed the questionnaire. My ideal would have been to return to a non-Cabinet system altogether, but that is not currently an option under the dictatorial nature of the previous government's policies.

Personally, should I ever get re-elected to the Council, I could work with anything that is ultimately decided; but it would be with a good knowledge of the pluses and minuses of each system, so would be informed and competent. I'd make sure the resultant system would work as well for our communities as it is possible to make it.

I have form on this: my reputation for making the much-hated Scrutiny system work much better was so well regarded that I was made vice-chairman of the "lead" Scrutiny Committee.

Not only that, I was also commissioned to provide guidance on how best to vice-chair such committees, along with support materials (example page at right). I genuinely "wrote the book" on it(!)

Whatever is decided, I am one of those who would ensure that Medway would get the best result from whichever method is decided, benefiting from the good points and ensuring that the negative aspects didn't get in the way of doing a good job.

It wouldn't exactly be the first time I'd done that...