Clause 16
Local Democracy, Economic Developmentand Construction Bill [Lords]
6:30 pm
Dan Rogerson (North Cornwall, Liberal Democrat)
I beg to move amendment 47, in clause 16, page 10, line 22, leave out from ‘means’ to end of line 25.
Clause 16 relates to a particular kind of petition, namely the requirement to call an officer to account. In the debates in another place, it was felt that the matter needs to be handled carefully and sensitively. Officers of all grades in authorities work day to day with local people in local communities and may have to take decisions or make judgments that make them unpopular with those people. If it were possible for officers to be called to account by the public, in a very public way, perhaps when the petitioners do not have all the facts available to them, it would be stressful and difficult for them to do their jobs. Therefore, amendment 47 seeks to limit officers who can be called to account to those at the highest level in authorities and those who take the ultimate responsibility for many of the functions delivered by the paid service. That seems far more reasonable. That group is of a position and authority—indeed, they will have the support behind them—to be able to deal with a public debate on whether they have fulfilled their role.
I do not seek to detain the Committee for long, but this is an important point. We want to encourage people to come into public service, to work for local authorities and to continue to do good work, and it is important that only those of a senior grade are affected by such a measure and that only they will be called to account in such a way.