Sandwell Council defends secrecy over budget discussions

The justification comes as scrutiny committees are going through a proposed budget which is recommending a 2.99 council tax increase in April.

Senior councillors on the cabinet recently took only 10 minutes to pass 81 pages outlying their financial plans after asking no questions of senior officers.

Cabinet papers are passed on to scrutiny committees for more detailed consideration, usually in public meetings.

But in the last few weeks, the borough’s Budget and Corporate Scrutiny Management Board has been told financial discussions on key areas – including child protection – can only happen in secret.

In January a report on the financial impact of Covid-19 on Sandwell Leisure Trust and its nine council owned leisure centres was held in private.

The trust’s financial future has led to a long running dispute between management and unions over plans to change pay conditions for some 300 staff.

On February 9, the multi-million pound contract for Sandwell’s Children’s Trust was declared exempt allowing the exclusion of the press and public.

The trust runs child protection services for the authority and had to be bailed out in 2019 with an additional £5 million.

A second report on the medium term financial strategy for pupils with special educational needs was also debated in secret.

Next week's Budget and Corporate Scrutiny Management Board meeting has now been told discussions on the council’s printing and legal services must be heard in private.

Asked why issues are no being debated in the open the council said it conducted as much business as possible in public.

A spokesman added: “Under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, councils have the opportunity to exclude information from consideration in public forums.

“The reports outlined in your enquiry contain information relating to the business or financial affairs of organisations external to the council and as such, relevant exemptions are applied, following application of the legislative parameters and public interest test.

“The business affairs of these organisations, as separate corporate entities, whilst linked to council activities, remain for them and not the council to disclose.”

They added: "The application of the exemption also allows for more rigorous examination of certain information and issues that would not otherwise be possible in public forum.

"Where committees resolve to consider matters in private session, they do so on the basis that they are content that the subject matter of reports and associated debate complies with legislative exemption provisions.

"The chair, in dealing with a resolution to exclude the public and press, does highlight the appropriate exemption(s) for public awareness."