Democratic dissent under attack

We understand that opposition members on Swansea council have been receiving unwelcome packages in the post this week. Heavy duty cartons weighing up to 22lbs each have been arriving by courier. They contain copies of an in-depth investigative report from the Ombudsman that could lead to measures that will forbid democratic protest in council chambers.

The investigation stems back to August 2008 when Labour and Conservative councillors walked out of a meeting in protest after losing the vote 35-32 to have a report on the local authority’s disastrous e-government venture (a.k.a. Shambles@Swansea) discussed in public. Even the normally supportive local newspaper had earlier given the council a stern finger-wagging about excessive secrecy over the cost of payroll systems, albeit to no avail.

But despite having his way over getting the dirty deed done behind closed doors, Lib Dem council leader Chris Holley was sufficiently miffed by the opposition's exodus to grass them up to the Ombudsman, stating they had "voted against the specific advice of the monitoring officer and head of legal services, plus the Section 151 officer for a report on eGovernment going into private session.”

This improbable complaint was initially rejected after it was pointed out how council summons papers state councillors are "requested" to exclude members of the public prior to debates on certain items.

"This implies the council can deny the request," was the perfectly reasonable conclusion of the public services watchdog.

But in October, it was revealed that this view had been modified. The ambiguous official explanation given was: "In view of additional information received, the Ombudsman has decided that councillor Holley's complaint should be investigated”. Details of the ‘additional information’ were unforthcoming but it is alleged a lengthy legal argument written on behalf of Holley by council officials was involved.

No actual estimates are available on the overall costs of the an 18-month investigation into democratic dissent - although we imagine a Freedom of Information request can be expected pretty soon. It is safe to assume however that staff-hours spent on interviews, travelling, recordings, compiling the evidence plus binding, packaging and delivery by courier service of 32 draft reports runs to quite a few grand.

However, we’re told this is only the draft version and that the whole process will be repeated once the councillors have had a chance to comment on the contents.

Earlier this week, Holley was telling the world how hundreds of council jobs would have to go because of impending budget cuts. He blamed the government and the Assembly for the situation. Then again, this is the same fatuous individual who promised ‘a new era of openness and transparency’ when he assumed office over five years ago.

Meanwhile, others are looking on at Swansea in horror. If the Ombudsman’s findings go to a series of hearings and are subsequently upheld, then the implications are for institutionalised secrecy and hamstrung oppositions in council chambers throughout Wales.

The complaint to the Ombudsman and the follow-up appeal by the council leader are themselves a kick in the balls for openness and transparency. The fact that it was initiated by someone heading up a Liberal Democrat-led local authority is something that even Peter Black will be hard pressed to explain away.

.

(JX)