“A WASTE of everyone’s time”: That’s what opposition councillors said as they slammed the council’s “broken” scrutiny process.
Royal Borough Independents and Liberal Democrats vented their frustration of the “pointless” scrutiny process, believing it to be just a “ticking a box” exercise in the Conservative-run council’s policy and decision-making.
Some felt scrutiny was “lacking” as issues are discussed at meetings but reportedly don’t go anywhere else afterwards, while others feel they are “blocked” by chairs to ask questions and examine items.
Speaking at a full council meeting on Tuesday, June 29, Independent councillor Jon Davey (Clewer and Dedworth West) said: “It’s painfully obvious overview and scrutiny doesn’t work in its current form.
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“Main reason is that the Conservatives hate it. Anything that slows down policy detached from central government is a threat to members.
“Its real purpose is completely ignored in favour of ticking a box saying it went to overview and scrutiny.”
He also said it’s a “waste of everyone’s time”.
The ruling Tories refuted the claim that they “hate” scrutiny, arguing it has had an effect on decision-making, such as the family hubs plan, particularly in the last 15 months during Covid-19.
The leader of the council, councillor Andrew Johnson (Con: Hurley & Walthams), believed this authority has never been more “open and transparent” around issues, failings, and their finances as they are now.
He said: “Is scrutiny fundamentally broken in RBWM? No, I think that’s an overly pessimistic viewpoint and I think that’s because of a lack of ambition in terms of putting forward ideas to my administration.”
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Meanwhile, Independent councillor Ewan Larcombe (Datchet, Horton, and Wraysbury) argued urgent items need to be “prioritized” and on top of the agenda when they are called in as we waited six months for the River Thames Scheme to be discussed at scrutiny as an urgent item.
Cllr Larcombe warned members the council “will carry on like a square wheel in perpetuity” if they don’t change their “sense of urgency” to issues.
His calls were ignored by the Conservatives who defeated his amendment.
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