Ties that blind - a new constitution for Babergh?

Out in the real world neck-ties seem to be going out of fashion somewhat. However in the world of politics they continue to be worn, and sometimes have a significance known only to the cognoscenti! It has been noted for example that Gordon Brown wore comforting blue or green ties throughout his non-campaign to be elected leader of the Labour Party. Ties are generally worn at Babergh, and I was struck at Tuesday’s full Council Meeting by a remarkable example.

An early item on the agenda was a motion to approve the setting up of a task group to look into changing the Constitution. Babergh is something of an anomaly in the world of councils in that it is a ‘Group Four’ type, headed by a Chairman, which makes its decisions by means of a structure of committees. There is a broad consensus between most of the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats that it would be better to have a Leader and Cabinet structure. It is thought that this would speed up decision making, and also make individual councillors (the ‘cabinet members’) more accountable to the public for the Council’s activities and decisions. It also happens to be the structure adopted by the vast majority of other councils in the U.K.

The idea is not much supported by the Independent councillors, who realise that under this structure it is probable that they, together with other ‘backbenchers’ will have less to do and possibly less power.

Almost at the start of the debate a rock was thrown into the pool that threatened to submerge the whole process before it had started. Was it not possible, enquired Mr Clive Arthey, Member for North Cosford, a person of such singular opinion that he does not number himself even among the Independents, was it not possible for the task force to consider alternative forms of constitutional arrangement open to us while they were at it? Why restrict themselves to just looking at the Leader and Cabinet model? An amendment was moved!

Clive Arthey’s suggestion would have condemned the working group, and later the Council as a whole (working inexorably through its numerous committees) to additional hours of harmless fun!

A moment of gloomy silence greeted the proposal. Silence was followed by muted expostulation. My fellow councillors were clearly stupefied by the notion that the decision making process to speed up the decision making process could be high-jacked in this way. At last the confusion was brought to an end by the firm expression of a contrary opinion from Councillor Penny Clarke, Member for Berners Ward, a lady with many years experience of this sort of thing. The amendment was defeated.

I turned to look at Councillor Arthey who looked pretty unperturbed. He was however wearing a very fine tie! It depicted a flock of white sheep, with one black sheep gambolling happily in the middle I could have sworn that the black sheep winked at me.