County council's scrutiny system blasted as 'self-congratulatory tea party' (From Western Telegraph)

I don't know if this whole thing makes me laugh or cry. I despair, I really do.

chimps tea party !!

Council officers have strongly resisted all attempts by Independent unaligned and other minority party councillors to amend the Constitution.
Since the introduction of the Leader and Cabinet sytem, overseen by Scutiny Committees, there have been several external indpendent reports about developing scrutiny practice across the LA sector, including Guidance by WAG.
Officers commented " it is not mandatory or binding but advice to which the authority has to have regard. The Council is able, as it has done, to decide to adopt its own arrangementsthat are not completely on all fours with each and every recommendationin the Guidance.
Thus the Cabinet recommended no change to long standing contitutional arrangements to Council.
Four O & S Committees are chaired by members of the majority group rather than by members outside the group, advised by the very same Directors responsible for providing the services subject to scrutiny, rather than special independent advisory officers.
The corporate resources committee, responsible for reviewing the Consitution, is Chaired by a Chairman from an O and S committee, and comprises the leader and another three Cabinet members and the other three O & S Chairmen.
This is how the unelected officers can control the Council, with the help of a majority group of independent councillors with no collective policy, other than to stay in power and reap the rewards of office.
It would be helpful to know why independently elected councillors choose to join ( they do not have to )and support a group. Perhaps its attractive in so far as they are told how to think.
Good luck to the few independent unaligned and minority party councillors, but I fear they wont be able to change things until officers adopt a more open and transparent attitude. Will they open the door to being open to scrutiny and constructive critism?

Indeview
Thank you for the clarification of scrutiny arrangements, that seem to have suited both elected and paid officials, with almost tragic effect.
The County badly needs effective political strategy and leadership,something that it has not had in the lifetime of PCC.
Unfortunately true independent councillors can do little on their own, particularly now they seem to have been gagged.
The only way forward is for the county's electorate to break the habit of a lifetime and vote a true political party into power next May. Then we might see some direction and proper accountability.
ps our highly paid CEO appears to have been very involved in the decision making in this whole affair. Where has he been. We have not heard a peep from him, as usual.