Clause 31
Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [Lords]
1:45 pm
Julia Goldsworthy (Falmouth and Camborne, Liberal Democrat)
I think that everybody in the Committee agrees that ensuring a strong scrutiny process is important in order for people to have confidence that their councils are well run and that, if there are any problems, a mechanism exists for investigating them fully. The Liberal Democrats have no problem with the establishment of joint overview and scrutiny committees. There are many issues on which councils working together can be run more efficiently, and we can see an improved process.
Our problem is that we cannot see why the process must be determined by the Secretary of State. The concern is that it brings forward a background issue, which is that the Government always presume the best intentions in the Government and the worst in local authorities. The provisions are just another example of that: clearly, local councils cannot be trusted to come up with satisfactory arrangements; that will only be achieved if those arrangements are specified, once again, in primary legislation. That seems to be the theme of virtually every clause in the Bill.
The amendments presented by the hon. Member for Wycombe seem entirely sensible. They would make it clear that it is not only the local authority’s right but its responsibility to ensure that the process works effectively. For councils that might struggle to do so, the regulations might be an additional burden that will make it more difficult to fulfil those duties. Once again, the Government have no business requiring all local authorities to act entirely in a specified way. It is a matter for local authorities. It is depressing that we continue to have discussions such as this.