A worrying development in the Powys Council move to Cabinet control is set to be completed with the appointment of the Scrutiny Committee Chairs at the County Council meeting this week.
Using their majority powers the new Lib Dem/Independent Cabinet is determined also to put their own appointees in the Chair of three of the four vital Scrutiny Committees.
These can look critically at mismanagement, inefficiency, fraud and malpractice in Council services. Controlling Group nominees could be under pressure to whitewash reports of Council maladministration. It is an indication that the new controlling group lacks confidence in its own ability.
Conservative Cllr Aled Davies said:
“The new Powys Council structure puts unprecedented power in the hands of the new Cabinet. They have already shown a complete disregard for the opinions of Council Tax payers in Powys by awarding themselves huge pay rises. Now they want to ensure that any criticism can be stifled by making sure that the vital Scrutiny Committee process is also under their control.
This power grab by the new Cabinet is bad for the Council, bad for our staff and bad for the people of Powys.”
