'An appalling abuse of democracy': Dudley councillor speaks out against cabinet budget plans

In a savage attack Cllr Pete Lowe took aim at his Conservative opponents who faced tough questions during sessions of the Dudley Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee to discuss the proposed budget for the 2025/26 financial year.

The ruling Tory group is planning savings of £42m to balance the books, during the sessions each cabinet member was quizzed on their department’s plans and on a number of occasions appeared uncomfortable under scrutiny.

Cllr Lowe said: “It highlighted the deficiencies of the current cabinet.

“To have cabinet members, who are in receipt of an allowance to undertake their cabinet duties, to openly admit they leave all of their work to their officers and then put forward cuts to the most deprived people in the community, when they have never even met the people they intend to cut – I find that an appalling abuse of democracy.

“These people are just simply not fit for office.”

All councillors receive a basic allowance of £12,143 per year, cabinet members get an additional £16,235 as a special responsibility payment.

Cllr Lowe added the role of politicians is to hold council officers to account and blasted the budget plans as not just officer-led but financially-led with cost being the only thing considered.

Council leader, Cllr Patrick Harley, defended his cabinet members from the suggestion their performance was below par.

He said: “I think some performances were more polished and glowed better than others but that is down to experience and how long they have been in the job.

“Cabinet members, where it was perceived they maybe struggled, are those that aren’t naturally performers on a big stage like that.

“This is the first time they will have experienced that sort of theatre.

“I have absolute confidence in the team, in their ability to do the job and produce balanced budgets, every cabinet member has played their part in that.”

Cllr Lowe is not alone in his scepticism of Dudley’s top team.

Cllr Shaun Keasey, an independent member of the council who chairs the scrutiny committee, said: “While I accept many cabinet members were probably nervous – it was quite an intimidating environment – I was disappointed as chair of overview and scrutiny with some cabinet members’ apparent lack of knowledge of the brief they were representing.”

During the hearings, Cllr Keasey also appeared unhappy about politicians passing the responsibility of answering questions to officers.

The council’s top officer, interim chief executive, Balvinder Heran, said: “Politicians are there to say ‘do they agree with the decisions’ the technical breakdown of how the budget is going to be delivered can only be officers because that is the executive function.

“I thought in adult social care, childrens’, regeneration, environment etc, all the questions were appropriately split.”

Cllr Harley has also been explaining why he was not present at the trio of scrutiny meetings which took place on January 20, 22 and 23.

He said: “That was a family holiday booked 12 months ago, I wish I could have been there to add my weight to the argument.

“I have to work around the council but also the family business, the overview and scrutiny committee is there to make recommendations – the decisions are made now and also being made in February.

“I am here when the key decisions are being taken.”