County-wide scrutiny board needs more teeth, say Calderdale councillors

They heard the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) Corporate Scrutiny Committee is in its infancy, with three meetings this municipal year (2021-22).

Coun Victoria Porritt (Lab, Elland) said she was “mildly alarmed” at the level of scrutiny and fellow members of Calderdale Council’s Strategy and Performance Scrutiny Board agreed it

had to be more robust.

“This is important stuff that needs to be scrutinised effectively.

“I would hope it is going to be more effective and grow some teeth. because it has got some very big budgets to scrutinise,” she said.

They also wanted to ensure its representatives on the committee to push Calderdale’s case on issues.

One of Calderdale’s representatives on the new committee, Coun George Robinson (Con, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) said the borough’ representatives – they also include Coun Megan Swift (Lab, Town) and Coun Mike Barnes (Lab, Skircoat) are the others – all put the case for Calderdale.

Coun Swift had said everyone was struggling to find out what the new committee was trying to do.

With only a few meetings having been held she would like to review the situation in six month’s time, she said.

Coun Susan Press (Lab, Todmorden) said when the new Mayor, Tracy Brabin, elected last May, was more bedded-in the situation should become clearer.

Representing Calderdale on the Economy Scrutiny Committee, work had been enjoyable but it seemed a bit vague, she said.

The representatives said issues included whether meetings had to be held in-person or could be held online as they were a discussion rather than decision-making – on occasion they had turned up for a face to face meeting to find it inquorate.

Issues which have been covered so far include the budget, cross-working, call-ins and support for members with other areas to be explored including pre-meetings (the Calderdale representatives have these already) and best use of digital technology.

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