Agenda item

7.1

It was moved by Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, and seconded by Councillor Robert Murphy, that this Council:-

(a)       thanks everyone involved in the running of this year's local elections and thanks the people of Sheffield for exercising their right to vote;

(b)       notes that this Council moved to a strong leader and cabinet model of governance under provisions within the Local Government Act 2000 introduced by the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair’s government, and believes that recently it has been clear that there is a disconnect between the Executive and backbench councillors at this Council;

(c)        notes that under the powers of the Localism Act 2011, Sheffield City Council has the ability to move from the current system of strong leader and cabinet to a committee system of governance;

(d)       notes that since the Localism Act 2011 came into law a number of councils have chosen to move to a committee system and more are considering the change;

(e)       notes that when the Liberal Democrats were in control of Sheffield City Council, the Localism Act had not yet come into law and therefore were unable to use its powers to change the council structure at the time;

(f)        notes that even Labour councillors have called in decisions made by their own Cabinet and Cabinet Members, for example, the executive decisions made on the development of Central Library and Mount Pleasant;

(g)       believes that, currently, too many decisions that affect local people are not transparent and are made away from public scrutiny, and introducing a committee system would mean that decision making would be more transparent and help to restore public confidence in Sheffield City Council;

(h)       resolves to investigate a switch to a committee system which would give more control of decision making to all elected councillors and not just a selected few; allowing local communities a more direct path to decisions made about their futures; and

(i)         believes that there is a better, different way for a city council to operate and that this motion demonstrates that it is possible, even in difficult times, to be responsive and work with local people.

7.2

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Tony Damms, seconded by Councillor Ian Saunders, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the deletion of paragraphs (b) to (i) and the addition of new paragraphs (b) to (g) as follows:-

(b)       notes that the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CPS) estimates that around only 30 councils operate under the committee system out of the 418 principal (unitary, upper and second tier) councils in the UK and, furthermore, this includes a proportion of councils who have always operated under the committee system (such as small shire districts between 2000 and 2012 who were permitted to retain their committee arrangements);

(c)        further notes that the Centre for Public Scrutiny believe more authorities have moved from the committee system to the strong leader/Cabinet model than the other way round in recent years and that they estimate this trend is likely to increase further;

(d)       notes that all Core Cities and authorities in Yorkshire use the Strong Leader Model – except those who have a directly elected Mayor;

(e)       believes that a committee system is no more transparent or conducive to open decision making than the current system, a position agreed with by the CPS, and regrets that despite claiming that moving to a committee system would increase transparency, and public scrutiny of decision making, the mover of the Motion fails to articulate how a committee system would improve this;

(f)        notes that the fact that councillors from across the chamber have called-in issues for scrutiny shows that there is a robust mechanism for oversight and scrutiny available to Members; and

(g)       further, notes that this Administration has a strong record of continuously improving transparency and public engagement and highlights that last year’s budget consultation had significantly increased participation from the public, and notes the on-going changes and reviewing of Council meetings to improve public engagement.

7.3

It was then moved by Councillor Douglas Johnson, and formally seconded by Councillor Martin Phipps, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of a new paragraph (f) as follows, and the re-lettering of original paragraphs (f) to (i) as new paragraphs (g) to (j):-

(f)        notes that only 4 out of 10 voters supported the current Administration, yet all 10 members of the Cabinet have been selected from the ruling group;

7.4

After contributions from five other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Shaffaq Mohammed, the amendment moved by Councillor Tony Damms was put to the vote and was carried.

7.5

The amendment moved by Councillor Douglas Johnson was then put to the vote and was negatived.

7.6

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form and carried:-

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

(a)       thanks everyone involved in the running of this year's local elections and thanks the people of Sheffield for exercising their right to vote;

(b)       notes that the Local Government Association (LGA) and the Centre for Public Scrutiny (CPS) estimates that around only 30 councils operate under the committee system out of the 418 principal (unitary, upper and second tier) councils in the UK and, furthermore, this includes a proportion of councils who have always operated under the committee system (such as small shire districts between 2000 and 2012 who were permitted to retain their committee arrangements);

(c)        further notes that the Centre for Public Scrutiny believe more authorities have moved from the committee system to the strong leader/Cabinet model than the other way round in recent years and that they estimate this trend is likely to increase further;

(d)       notes that all Core Cities and authorities in Yorkshire use the Strong Leader Model – except those who have a directly elected Mayor;

(e)       believes that a committee system is no more transparent or conducive to open decision making than the current system, a position agreed with by the CPS, and regrets that despite claiming that moving to a committee system would increase transparency, and public scrutiny of decision making, the mover of the Motion fails to articulate how a committee system would improve this;

(f)        notes that the fact that councillors from across the chamber have called-in issues for scrutiny shows that there is a robust mechanism for oversight and scrutiny available to Members; and

(g)       further, notes that this Administration has a strong record of continuously improving transparency and public engagement and highlights that last year’s budget consultation had significantly increased participation from the public, and notes the on-going changes and reviewing of Council meetings to improve public engagement.

7.6.1

(NOTE: 1. Councillors Bob Pullin, Richard Shaw, Adam Hanrahan, Mohammed Mahroof, Joe Otten, Colin Ross, Martin Smith, Roger Davison, Shaffaq Mohammed, Paul Scriven, Sue Alston, Cliff Woodcraft, Steve Ayris, Gail Smith, David Baker, Penny Baker and Mike Levery voted for paragraph (a) and against paragraphs (b) to (g) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded: and

2. Councillors Kaltum Rivers, Douglas Johnson, Robert Murphy, Martin Phipps and Alison Teal voted for paragraph (a), against paragraphs (e) and (g), and abstained from voting on paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (f) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)