Scrutiny deal to freeze out independents at Dudley Council denied

The new municipal year at Dudley Council began with a vote at full council to elect chairpersons and vice-chairs for vital watchdog committees to examine policy and decisions.

Despite being the third biggest group on the authority the Dudley Independent Group, known as ‘The Diggers’, missed out on any leadership roles on four scrutiny and eight other committees while for their six councillors while the Lib Dems’ five councillors all got a top job.

The Diggers claim this was a reward for Lib Dem support of the ruling Conservatives, who took the remaining chairperson roles.

Labour, which currently has 24 councillors, got five vice-chair roles.

Leader of the Diggers, Cllr Pete Lowe, said: “A deal has clearly been struck, it’s open for everyone to see.

“Scrutiny should be controlled by the opposition and I think that means more than the Liberal Democrats.”

Local government law says committees must be politically balanced and seats allocated based on the size of groups on the council; however Lib Dem leader, Cllr Ryan Priest, denies he has done a deal with the Tories or that the Diggers have been treated unfairly.

Cllr Priest said: “I don’t think anyone is entitled to those positions – I don’t think fair comes into it. The need is to command a majority in the chamber to be trusted in those positions and obviously they can’t do that.”

For the Conservatives, council leader, Cllr Patrick Harley, dismissed the Diggers as just a group of individuals who want to score points against all political parties and ‘bring a plague on everybody’s house’.

Cllr Harley said: “I want to deal with people who are serious about moving the council forward, I believe Labour and the Lib Dems will be serious about getting another budget passed next March – I don’t believe the independent group will.

“I have got the largest group and am one short of an outright majority.

“I had discussions with the Lib Dems and Labour and we agreed who should have what, this year I think it has been done on merit.

“There is no formal deal and we have to debate every single point.”

Cllr Priest was quick to deny his group are what one councillor described as ‘Conservatives in yellow ties’.

Cllr Priest said: “If there was a deal I’m sure there would be more Tories in committee places. It’s my group that’s been the constant headache for the Conservatives insisting there are Labour politicians on these committee places.

“The largest political parties, if not the largest groups, are working together on scrutiny, that can only be a good thing.”

He added the Diggers did have councillors as members of committees albeit not in top roles and they will have influence.