Recently we have been looking at the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), particularly how councils have been trying to move the issue forward and be more transparent with how it conducts its affairs.  How then, does South Tyneside Council compare to other areas when it comes to direct accountability? 

At first glance, the picture looks pretty good.  Its own website is relatively easy to negotiate, and contact details for executives and department heads are available for public consumption.  There is even a little section on the FOIA.  However, that is where it all ends.  In essence, the site is like a glorified information leaflet, but with very little factual content.  Take for example the case of elected councillors, their remuneration package and attendance rates re the committees they sit on. Dates of meetings and agendas are all advertised, but that’s because the law says the council has to.  However, overall councillor attendance rates are not outlined, so how do we know we are getting value for money?  The answer is we don’t. 

Take for example Councillor David Potts (Conservative) who represents Cleadon and East Boldon.  He was eligible to attend 71 council meetings in 2008/2009.  Yet he only went to 12.  He claimed nearly £17393.00 in expenses and allowances, costing the taxpayer in the region of £1500 per meeting, some of which didn’t last an hour.  Clearly, this is not value for money, but you wouldn’t have found this out directly from the council’s site.  Additionally, whilst all councillors expenses are shown as a lump sum (again they have to be by law) we don’t know how they were accrued.  Was first class travel involved, where 3, 4 or 5 star hotels utilised?  If you want to know these details (and you have a right to) then you would have to lodge an FOIA enquiry. 

Budgetary elements are another area where South Tyneside Council is less than open.  Nowhere on its site will you find the figures as to how much a year it spends on entertainment, consultants, computer equipment, printing, office furniture, and advertising in The Shields Gazette etc.  Yet, as members of the public, we are bombarded with the fact that due to a lack of money, council services will have to be cut and charges will have to rise.  As a balance to the argument that an increase in council tax bills are warranted, we need to know how the council spends the money we already give them down to the last penny.  Again, if you want these figures, the FOIA is the only way forward. 

Clearly, it doesn’t take a fool to see that the benefits of a more open and transparent council are two-fold.  Firstly, it will save money in the long run as it will reduce the number of FOIA enquiries that have to be dealt with.  Secondly, it empowers the electorate to make more reasoned decisions when it comes to how they view the conduct of the council, its officers and those they elected to serve them. 

The over-riding feature that encompasses all these issues is that this is our money and this is our council and as members of this Borough, we have a right to see that our money is spent and allocated appropriately. 

Further articles will explain how you, as members of the public, can achieve this through the use of the Freedom of Information Act.

Share