“We have called out the secrecy in decision making, where only 12 of the elected 60 councillors can view the exempt papers”

For a truly effective democracy, you need a strong and effective opposition, writes the Conservative Group's John Howard.

It’s true of central government, and it’s true of local council too. And regardless of how you vote whether you support the serving party or not, it’s still important to have an opposition that keeps the administration party (or more locally, coalition of parties) on their toes.

Our Conservative group leader Councillor Fitzgerald did a video about the awful state of the city centre. Within weeks, Operation Horizon sprung into life for 48 hours of action. It’s a positive outcome when we set the challenge and the challenge is accepted, as this can only benefit residents, however as Councillor Allen said in a recent column, the energy put into a few days is commendable but this needs to be a lasting and sustainable programme, not just a limited offer.

Councillor Rafiq has been challenging the Labour manifesto promise in the May elections for free bulky waste collections across the city. Clearly, the pledge wasn’t properly costed or programmed, as it has taken Councillor Rafiq’s questioning at full council to finally push the administration to form a policy. Again, it’s a win for residents.

Not all our challenges have worked out. The Hilton Hotel was sold for a crushing loss, despite us calling in the decision and making the case for seeking a partner to finish the hotel and find an operating partner in a partnership arrangement with the council. This would have meant a payback of all the costs in an estimate of 20-30 years, and an asset to boot, but the Labour-led administration decided they would sell for a loss instead.

Another challenge that hasn’t worked out is the call-in of the sale of the Bharat Hindu Samaj temple. As this is going through a legal process, we won’t comment on this only to say we still hope for a sensible and compassionate outcome, much as the recommendation we put forward at the call-in.

We have called out the secrecy in decision making, where only 12 of the elected 60 councillors can view the exempt papers in key decisions for our city. How can the other 48 councillors scrutinise decision making, in an environment where each of the 60 councillors are equally democratically elected to serve by the public of their wards. We will keep calling this out until something changes. It might be a while until you hear the administration use the word ‘transparency’ again.

And of course, there is much chatter about the decision to call in the local plan. The council leadership suggests they are ‘listening’ but it took them a long time to listen. Councillor Harper has robustly and loudly campaigned against the inclusion of Drysides in the local plan. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, he has been a loud campaigner. If the administration were truly listening, why did they ignore all his campaigning until almost the last second, with a hastily scribbled amendment in the cabinet meeting? It is a shocking lapse of what should be a firm and fair administration. The call-in will steer the debate in terms of what next, but to take out such a large element of future employment land without offering an alternative site, it’s an insult to all the work by members and officers that went into the local plan. This could, and should, have been resolved months ago. We are monitoring the showground too, as the original application may yet have been the best offer this area gets-the housing numbers for this site and surrounding areas continues to grow. We are alert and ready.