Labour’s old budget mess raised by Labour??

I normally enjoy opposition ‘Questions’ in the County Chamber but I enjoy some more than others!…

There are just 3 Labour County Councillors left in Staffordshire since June’s election.

It must be tough for them to get used to being a minority (very) party after nearly 30 years of uninterrupted control in Staffordshire. The atmosphere in County Buildings has changed dramatically in the last few months since Labour lost almost 90% of their Seats but it’s pretty clear that all four opposition parties are at sixes and sevens.

As someone who is passionate about democracy that really does sadden me because I believe tough challenge and alternative views make for better decision making… that challenge really isn’t happening.

But a recent County Question by Peter Beresford (Burton upon Trent), one of Labour’s stalwarts during their previous ‘reign’ who’s still there, was very odd indeed and rather confirms my earlier comments. It basically asked me how I was coping with the difficult financial position that the previous Labour Administration had left in my Social Care and Health Department. 

The process works with written questions being submitted by Members a few days before debates which are then answered verbally in the Chamber by the Cabinet Member responsible… me in this case. The Member who submitted a question then has the chance for one off-the-cuff verbal question which the Cabinet Member then answers without prior knowledge. The advance written question is usually only a set up for the much tougher and highly political supplementary.

However, as you’ll see from the clip, Mr Beresford suddenly realised his written question was highlighting financial failings under the previous Labour Administration and tried very hard to bury it as fast as he could without asking his extra question. But it’s so unusual not to get a supplementary question that the County Chairman, who presides over Chamber sessions, was taken by surprise and asked me to answer anyway. My questioner’s face was a picture when he realised what had happened. It was a chance to good to be missed for me. See what I mean about sixes and sevens!

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