Camden’s offices in King’s Cross.

• THE work of backbench councillors to scrutinise Camden’s administration is vital to ensuring services are run properly and taxpayers’ money spent wisely.

Since March these meetings have been suspended, but a key part of recovery is to restore the scrutiny that is key to democracy.

That’s why we, as councillors of all parties on the council, agree that it is crucial that Camden urgently returns to a full schedule of regular scrutiny committee meetings: remotely for as long as necessary, then in person as soon as possible.

Several London boroughs restored full democratic scrutiny of their decision-making last summer, and it is not right that Camden plans not to do the same until at least a year later.

We wish to pay tribute to those who have given and continue to give so much to achieve our council’s goals during this most difficult time. Scrutiny will ensure that they are supported by the council adopting and implementing the best possible policies.

However since March last year, the council has held remote scrutiny meetings only to discuss reports that the cabinet wants councillors to see.

This has meant the regular running of the council has not been scrutinised, nor has there been an opportunity to discuss urgent issues.

As a result, the health committee lost the thread of the discussion that led to the recent change of control that has seen the passing of our local GP surgery contracts to an offshore company.

The children, schools and families committee has not looked at how to respond to the falling number of children living in the borough, which has led to multiple school closures and downsizes.

And the Community Investment Programme scrutiny panel, which is enquiring into how Camden is managing its £1billion property development plan, hasn’t met once for over a year.

That’s why last month, Camden’s audit committee urged Camden to restore scrutiny as soon as possible. We urge the council’s leadership to listen and reinstate a full schedule of scrutiny committee meetings so that democratic scrutiny can restart in April.

We believe it is necessary to set a date for a return to the normal scrutiny function so that we can exercise effective democratic control during the current Covid-19 restrictions and beyond. Lack of scrutiny can lead to poor decision-making.

Restoring full scrutiny is essential for the good governance of the council. We need full scrutiny to maintain our democratic procedures and to hold Camden’s executive to account.

CLLR OLIVER COOPER
Conservative, Hampstead Town ward
CLLR PAUL TOMLINSON
Labour, St Pancras & Somers Town ward
CLLR LUISA PORRITT
Liberal Democrat, Belsize ward
CLLR SIÂN BERRY
Green, Highgate ward