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Leader Live
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
Flintshire Council accused of ‘assault on scrutiny' over CJC amendment
The North Wales CJC is responsible for strategic planning and transport across the region. Made up of senior leaders from each of the six North Wales councils, it makes cross-border strategic decisions for the benefit of the whole of North Wales. But Flintshire County Council's ruling executive coalition has forced through a motion barring opposition councillors from sitting on the Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) that will monitor the work of the CJC. Flintshire's Democratic Services Committee advised the council to appoint a member of the council's executive group and one non-executive member – in other words an opposition councillor – to the JOSC to ensure Flintshire's representatives offered differing, balanced perspectives. But opposition councillors were stunned as cabinet member Cllr Paul Johnson tabled an amendment to exclude them from the scrutiny committee. Mr Owens' original recommendation was that the authority 'agrees the political balance of Flintshire County Council's nominees to the joint overview and scrutiny committee will reflect the membership of Flintshire County Council rather than the membership of all North Wales councils in aggregate, where one seat shall be reserved to a councillor who is not a member of an executive group'. Cllr Johnson's amendment removed the reservation of a single seat for an opposition councillor from Flintshire on the committee. 'I believe making these changes will ensure there will be clear leadership and direction from representatives of council on the joint committee,' he said. 'This will benefit this council's engagement with that committee.' Deputy leader of the council Cllr Richard Jones seconded the move. 'We need to be fully engaged with the process and ensure we represent our residents in the best possible way. The changes alter what was advised by the Democratic Services Committee but we believe this will benefit process and provide the appropriate leadership which is required.' The move was greeted with fury by Flintshire's opposition councillors. 'This is a dangerous assault on scrutiny,' said Flintshire People's Voice councillor Alasdair Ibbotson. 'It is not at all acceptable that scrutiny committees exclude opposition members. 'I trust the removal of that part is an oversight by Cllr Johnson and Cllr Jones so I move an amendment to reinstate that one of the seats be allocated to the administration groups and one to opposition groups. 'I trust they will accept that amendment. If they fail to do so they will be attempting to establish a precedent whereby the administration can mark its own homework with no opportunity for anybody else to be involved. 'It is that kind of behaviour which is liable to invite commissioners from the Welsh Government to assess the health of our democracy. Do not invite them in. 'If you set a precedent that opposition members are not to be involved in scrutiny, this will come back to bite you when you sit in opposition. Show courtesy, respect democracy and support this amendment.' Cllr Ibbotson's attempt to restore the original recommendation was however defeated while the coalition supported Cllr Johnson's change prompting anger from opposition councillors. Cllr Ibbotson's FPV colleague Cllr Sam Swash said: ' Provide leadership? The people of Flintshire are crying out for some leadership from this coalition. 'We're told you can't manage the job in Flintshire but you can manage it across North Wales? Get a grip.' 'I think it's a real shame this is the way the administration is behaving,' added Liberal Democrat Cllr David Coggins Cogan. 'I'm sick to death of being approached outside this chamber and being told 'there's not that much difference between the Lib Dems and Labour, let's work together'. 'One difference is that we believe in democracy. I think it's a disgrace. There's no good reason for it and I'm ashamed to be a member of the council if this is the way we are being led.' True Independents' leader Cllr Carol Ellis said: 'I'm quite shocked really. We stood here and clapped when Lord Barry Jones called us the best authority in Wales. 'This is not the behaviour of the best authority in Wales, to try and exclude democracy, exclude scrutiny. It's absolutely disgusting. Democracy has gone out of the window and scrutiny has been removed – why? 'I don't think this coalition wants scrutiny – but we will scrutinise and continue to challenge. Don't think we are going to die, we are not.' Fellow True Independent Cllr Mike Peers added his voice to the chorus of opposition. 'I think the proposal is quite despicable. It is clearly an attack on the opposition. They want us to play no part in this authority.' Despite their protestations Cllr Johnson's amendment was carried by the coalition vote – meaning only members of the coalition will represent Flintshire on the JOSC to oversee the North Wales CJC's work.
Powys County Times
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Political placards may be stopped at Powys council meetings
COUNCILLORS may be stopped from having placards, signs or banners that make a political statement at future Powys council meetings. At a meeting of the authority's Standards Committee last week, members received a report from colleague Jonathan Goolden who had observed the council meeting that took place on March 6. At that meeting, opposition councillors had hoped a motion calling for a pause in the roll out of a controversial booking system at Powys recycling centres would be voted on. But their hopes were dashed as they were told that they had not submitted the motion in time. Committee lay member, Mr Goolden said that meeting had been 'good humoured, well chaired," but added: "One member displayed what I thought was a local paper headline saying 'What a load of rubbish'. 'At the time I thought this was a reference to a Powys issue, but it was a Shropshire issue.' The headline came from a newsletter published by the Liberal Democrats that highlighted they had successfully campaigned to overturn a similar booking system for recycling centres in Shropshire. The newsletter was placed in front of Conservative group leader, Cllr Aled Davies and highlighted the differing stances on recycling centres taken by Liberal Democrat politicians in Powys and Shropshire. Mr Goolden said: 'There is a balance between the right of members to express themselves freely on political matters and for a council meeting to be conducted with due efficiency and decorum – I just wish to draw that to members' attention in case it becomes an issue.' Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer, Clive Pinney, said: 'This is something we could ask the Democratic Services Committee to consider – if members think it's inappropriate we could write it into the constitution and prevent it happening in the future.' Cllr Iain Harrison said that the incident in question had been 'trivial', but with the state of the world at the moment this could lead down a 'slippery slope'. Cllr Harrison continued: 'We could see all sorts of imaging popping up that could create great offence to quite sizeable sections of the population. 'The simplest behaviour to adopt is that is that it's not allowed at all under any circumstances and we need to be very clear on that.' Cllr William Powell, council chairman, welcomed referring the issue, commenting: 'I think for a chair to be freelancing on the issue is probably dangerous in its own way and it would be better if it's backed up by due process. 'It would be a more solid basis on which to proceed.'
