Barnet Council have recently started claiming that they have a commitment to openness and transparency. Last week we saw various exchanges with Council officers regarding the £16.1 million of your cash given to Capita to fund investments. What we haven't seen is any proper answers from the Councillors. Let us remind ourselves what the job of Councillors is. They are supposed to provide democratic oversight of the executive and make sure that democratic processes are properly followed when decisions are made. They are meant to listen to our concerns and investigate if there are real issues. In this case, we've been met with a wall of silence.
Councillors receive huge allowances for belonging to the cabinet and being the chair of committees. In return for this, they are expected to do a job. They are not meant simply to be yes men for the officers. They are not meant to be a fig leaf, hiding the privacy of the officers. They are meant to shine a light on their actions and hold them to account when they get it wrong.
So once more, the Barnet Eye appeals to the Conservative cabinet and the committee chairs. Do the job you are paid for.
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