Democratic Deficit

Democratic Deficit

Scrutiny Programme Board agenda extract 21 July 2022

City council scrutiny board enabling illicit obstruction of democracy

Essential safeguard against misuse of power misdirected by Executive members and senior officers while backbench councillors persistently denied rights to examine high-risk schemes and citywide climate crisis response.

Councillors threaten to “empty chair” Stagecoach South West managing director

Councillors are threatening to “empty chair” Stagecoach South West managing director Peter Knight after his absence from yet another meeting of the committee that oversees Exeter’s highways.

Rough sleeper sheltering at Exeter Guildhall

County council determined to axe homelessness prevention funding despite zero support for cuts

Fate of £1.5 million contract sealed before consultation began with district councils and services providers kept in dark and huge prospective financial and human costs, dwarfing claimed savings, ignored.

Exeter City Council annual meeting

Labour councillors again appointed to all thirteen committee chairs at annual council meeting

Council leader finally quits planning committee alongside other remaining Executive member but persists with secret board that enables scrutiny evasion.

Exeter City Council governance review postponed for seventh time

A major review of Exeter City Council governance, which has already been postponed six times and was not expected to address the issues it raises until July, making it nine months late, has now disappeared from the council’s forward plan altogether.

Council leader “chooses” not to follow Local Government Association guidance

When asked at April’s meeting of Exeter City Council why it does not follow Local Government Association guidance which explicitly advises against the council leader and planning portfolio holder sitting on the planning committee to avoid conflict of interest risks, council leader Phil Bialyk said: “I choose not to follow the guidance”.

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