The WLGA review of governance in Carmarthenshire County Council, or as the Council's own website neatly puts it, "how the Council works and takes decisions", has finally got underway.
Members of the public and other interested bodies, including town and community councils, were initially given until 23 July to respond, with Carmarthenshire County Council not getting round to publicising the consultation until earlier this week. Following representations, the deadline has now been extended to 20th August.
The panel has already received some submissions from the public, and it is currently interviewing councillors and other "stakeholders", including local Assembly Members and MPs, newspaper editors, Estyn, the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales and the Wales Audit Office.
Early feedback suggests that the four members of the panel have been given some very contrasting views of the council, with loyalists saying how wonderful the local authority is and pointing to the array of trophies and cut glass vases adorning the lobby of County Hall, while others have been spilling the beans about some of the less glorious chapters in the council's recent history.
One area which it seems is of particular interest to the panel is the extent to which the public is encouraged to participate in the democratic process.
Cue film clip of howling wind and tumbleweed rolling down abandoned streets.
If you haven't made your views known, please spend a few minutes doing so. You can send in your views and concerns to:
carmarthenshirereview@wlga.gov.uk
1 comment:
I’ve had my say when I was employed by the local authority and didn’t get very far. The whistleblowing scheme is unworkable as the investigations are carried out by senior council officers.
They are like the three wise monkeys ; hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil.
Why don’t local authorities have an independent investigation authority like the police have? From what I hear, the police fear their involvement in an investigation into police wrongdoing.
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