New Dudley Council leader plans restructure

The new leader of Dudley Council says his first priority in office is to restructure the council's committee system to better reflect the borough's residents.

Councillor David Sparks OBE wants to ditch the current system of five area committees and replace it with one with more committees to better represent each 'independent' community.

He believes the existing system is based on artificial boundaries – not long-known communities that are currently bonded together to be covered by larger committees.

The Labour councillor said: "I think the current system is wrong, I think local communities are best represented by local councillors who are free to discuss local issues. Dudley is different from other places, we have so many different towns and villages, each with their own history and with fierce local identities.

"Why can't we have committees for not just the towns, but also villages which residents can be facing very different issues than those in neighbouring towns.

"I think such a move would give residents a greater say – it would enrich democracy."

Area committee meetings are currently held in Brierley Hill, Halesowen, Stourbridge and Central and North Dudley with the aim that local issues will be addressed. But under Councillor Sparks' proposal villages like Netherton and Gornal could be considered to have smaller committees.

He said: "These meetings can be a line of councillors sitting opposite a line of officers talking about things that have no relevance to an area committee.

"I want the committees to be relevant and a place where local people having their say."

Councillor Sparks has asked a council scrutiny panel to look into the current system with the view of restructuring it.

He expects to get a recommendation back from the panel by the end of the summer, with a potential revamp of the council starting in the Autumn.