Conservative finance lead Councillor Jonathan Hucker is urging the Authority to live up to the promises contained in its new Local Code of Corporate Governance framework which sets out how the organisation intends to regulate itself.
The report which was presented to the last Full Council meeting (Tuesday, 9th December) provided Members with an opportunity to review and note the latest version of the Code and how it interprets and applies certain core principles of good governance.
Briefly, these fundamentals consist of demonstrating integrity; openness; accountability, transparency, and effectiveness in its decision-making.
Whilst ostensibly a dry topic, any failures in the operation of this system has very real-world consequences. Recent the high-profile cases such as the collapse of Bristol Energy and the costly rebuild of the Colston Hall (now known as the Bristol Beacon) have proven to be financially disastrous for local taxpayers.
Additional concerns recently expressed by the Audit Committee include late financial reporting; weaknesses in managing waste and housing contracts, as well as insufficient scrutiny of major capital projects.
Cllr Hucker (Stockwood) said: “The Local Code of Corporate Governance is meant to act as an important guide for how a major public organization operates effectively, transparently, and in the best interests of the community.
“The Audit Committee has endorsed the latest version on how Bristol City Council should conduct itself. The annex to the report considered early this week outlines the complex structures and interactions that have been created to translate abstract declarations into reality.
“However, do we really live up to these fine ideas? In truth, many of the decisions taken in City Hall are not well regarded by Bristol residents.
“Famously, the former Member of Parliament for Bristol, Edmund Burke, once said that your representatives owe you not only their industry, but also their judgement.
“I agree with that sentiment, but this approach has to be applied carefully. Politicians should not fall into the trap of being too remote or believing that they always knows what’s best and can ignore those they represent.
“For example, there are plenty of people who live in the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood who rightly question whether politicians and officials have genuinely engaged with them over that trial project. Indeed, in my own ward, around 98% of respondents to a formal consultation on certain changes to the southern section of the A37 transport corridor have objected to its implementation and are likely to be discounted or have their views simply overridden.
“Whilst the updated Code is an improvement on its predecessor, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. As another proverb or saying makes clear, actions speak louder than words. The real test is whether future results will match the promises about how decisions are made and carried out.”
