Switch to committee system at Arun agreed after lengthy and heated debate

The Lib Dems, backed by independents, Greens and Labour, argued in favour of changes, which will go live in May 2021.

But the Tories opposed the changes, not in principle they argued, but because they had not had enough information or assurance and felt the decision was being rushed.

The move to a committee system was backed by the majority of councillors at a meeting last night (Wednesday January 15), following recommendations from a governance working party set up to look at the issue.

Officers explained that once a change was agreed, the council would not be able to switch back for another five years.

Francis Oppler (LDem, Orchard), deputy leader and cabinet member for corporate support, said opponents of the move were suggesting the council would be ‘visited by nothing short of the plagues of Egypt’ if it went ahead.

He added: “This recommendation is about the future and how we can make our decisions better for our residents and giving councillors a greater say in those decisions.

“Most importantly it will strengthen the link between residents and their local councillor. For too long cabinet members have been able to hide at a distance from the community.”

He continued: “This recommendation will strengthen local democracy in Arun and make decision making more consensual.”

The Tories’ main issue was with recommendations from a December audit and governance committee, which amongst other things, had suggested a members’ seminar before anything was agreed.

Their first of two amendments, which were both defeated, asked for a decision to be deferred so the issue could go back to the working party so ‘independent assurance’ around the changes could be secured from the audit and governance committee.

Terry Chapman (Con, East Preston), who moved the first amendment, said: “What this amounts to is somebody turning up at your door and saying: ‘I have got something you want because it’s the way of the future. I can’t tell you what it is or how it works but I want you to give me a blank cheque and in five years’ time you can think again’.”

Andy Cooper (Con, Angmering and Findon) added: “This is about taking every single one of us on a journey. It should not be a rushed decision.”

Meanwhile Paul Dendle (Con, Arundel and Walberton) added: “I do not think there is an overall desire to keep the cabinet system but there is a desire to do the right thing and make the right decision and an informed decision.”

Shaun Gunner (Con Rustington East) echoed this and felt there was a misunderstanding that the Tories were unhappy with the outcome of the governance review when they were only taking issue with the process.

Then Ricky Bower (Con, East Preston) suggested some people thought the council’s culture was ‘wrong rather than the organisation’.

Cllr Oppler questioned whether the Tories truly had an open mind on the proposed changes and felt were merely ‘trying to kick this into the long grass so change never happens at all’.

Hugh Coster (Ind, Aldwick East) also described the move as a ‘delaying tactic’, adding: “Its clear either these are obfuscations and delaying tactics or they are pretending they have not got the information.”

But David Edwards (Con, Felpham East) said: “This is a monumental decision as I do not think it’s unreasonable to consider the amendment to make sure we make the right decision for the people of Arun.”

Once this was lost by 27 votes to 22, the Conservatives then proposed a second amendment calling for the date of implementation to be moved forward from May 2021 to May 2020.

Cllr Dendle said: “If you’re going to jump off a cliff you might as well jump off sooner rather than later rather than thinking about it for 12 months.”

This amendment was labelled ‘political opportunism’ and ‘hypocritical in the extreme’.

Jamie Bennett (LDem, Rustington West) said: “It’s astounding. For more than two hours the Conservatives have been saying we are rushing this process and now they put a motion in to implement this in a few months’ time.”

But Grant Roberts (Con, Arundel and Walberton) said by moving the date forward they were simply adhering to the timeline agreed in the original terms of reference when the working party was set up.

Cllr Andy Cooper added: “If we are going to do it let’s get on with it.”

Billy Blanchard-Cooper (LDem, Brookfield) felt May 2021 was sensible as it gave the council time to ensure ‘every little wrinkle is worked out’.

The amendment was defeated by 25 votes to 17, with five Conservatives abstaining.

The debate was watched by just three members of the public, all of whom had left by the time it finally wound up at 9.54pm.

It started with a series of points of order from Tory councillors.

Many of these were around the original terms of reference for the working party and the audit and governance recommendations.

Cllr Roberts, who talked about the recent case where a plane had been mistakenly shot down in Iran amidst tensions with the USA, said: “Let’s not destroy democracy by sending up a missile in haste.”

James Walsh (LDem, Beach), leader of the council, described the various points of order as ‘spurious’ and called them a ‘coordinated time destroying tactic to stop debate on the substantive motion’.

Alison Cooper (Con, Rustington East) asked the other parties to prove the move was ‘not just a political stunt to stick two fingers up at the last [Tory] administration most of whom are gone’.

Inna Erskine (LDem, Pevensey), chairman of the audit and governance committee, said: “The committee system is the most democratic way as every single councillor has an equal voice at this council. The recommendations of each committee would come to full council for a further debate at which every single councillor votes with his or her conscience.”

She added: “We want to run this council in the most democratic way possible and we believe the committee system is the best way to do that.”

The final vote was carried by 25 votes to 20.