September 13: Opening the books at County Hall
Comments |
I didn't think I would ever read a county council report
that stated "KCC views transparency as a fundamental
principle of how we do business" but I have and, yes, I
did check the date and it wasn't April 1.
But let's give credit where credit is due. Despite what it may
have said in the past, County Hall has never had much of a
reputation for openness. But it looks like things may be about to
change.
How
County Hall will open up its books>>>
Under its "Transparency Programme" - being led by the new group
managing director Katherine Kerswell - the authority is pledging to
be much more open about how it spends our money. Some of this,
admittedly, follows various edicts coming from central government -
notably the expectation from communities secretary Eric
Pickles that all councils must publish monthly statements
of transactions of more than £500.
But KCC appears to be much more committed to embracing the spirt
of greater openness than it was and it was telling that
Conservative cabinet member Roger Gough said at a
cabinet meeting that he wants KCC to do much more than observe the
letter of the law and that the spirit of transparency is as
important.
Certainly, it seems that some politicians are grasping that if
they really want to engage and involve residents, letting them know
how thier money is spent is a good start. (We're even being
promised video clips of senior officers going about their work,
too).
Of course the proof of the transparency pudding will be in the
eating. One key challenge will be how it publishes all this
information and whether it does so in a way that is user-friendly
and easily understood by the general public.
Initiatives often begin with fine rhetoric but later unravel
because of lack of political commitment. Let's hope this isn't one
of them.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mind you, with the exception of Cllr Gough, not many other
cabinet members had much to say about the initiative at today's
cabinet meeting. Maybe they've no strong views. Maybe they don't
think it terribly important. Or just maybe they're a little unhappy
about it all...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Oh dear. The perils of the typo that give a council report an
unintended meeting.
Outlining KCC's next grand vision statement "Bold Steps for
Kent" - which follows the earlier incarnation "Bold Steps for
Radical Reform" - a paper being presented to county councillors on
Friday remarks: "From the recommendations it is worth
nothing that many have been swiftly acted on by
the new government."
Worth nothing? Whoops. We think the word was
"noting." But heh, who knows? maybe someone was having a
little joke...
Monday, September 13 2010
The KM Group does not moderate comments.
Please click here for our house rules.