Barnet resumes meetings, hires investigator after proportionality issues

The London Borough of Barnet has decided – after obtaining advice from a leading local government QC – that its planned committee meetings can go ahead over the next month despite problems over its approach to proportionality.

The local authority has also appointed lawyer Claer Lloyd-Jones, former chief executive of The Social Housing Regulator, to conduct an external investigation into the issues that came to light when the council returned to a committee system.

Confusion about the membership of Barnet’s new environment committee saw the authority’s chief executive, Andrew Travers, ask Hugh Peart, Director of Legal & Governance Services and Director of HB Public Law (the shared legal service with Harrow) to conduct a review of the council's arrangements.

Peart concluded that Barnet’s approach to proportionality, adopted by members earlier in the month, was flawed. This view was confirmed by James Goudie QC of 11KBW.

“Further legal advice has confirmed that while the model of proportionality will have to be revised the committees can continue to meet if revisions are put to full Council on July 15,” Barnet said today (23 June).

Writing to members, Travers said: “Mr Goudie has confirmed Mr Peart’s view that the proportionality report agreed at Council was flawed. Mr Goudie further advises that the Council should put this right at the first opportunity. He does, however, go on to say that it is open to the Council to continue with scheduled committees in the meantime, and that decisions taken would be valid.”  

The chief executive said that, following consultation with party group leaders, meetings of committees would now go ahead in line with the agreed schedule. The pension committee will not meet, however.

Travers said Lloyd-Jones would review the process by which the original ‘flawed’ committees split was presented to council on 2 June.