John Cade takes lessons from Sir Humphrey Appleby

If, say, a person became concerned about the dreadful dustbin collection service, or dirty and dangerous streets, or an outbreak of violent crime, or the level of MRSA at the local hospital, he would be able to ask his councillor to issue a Call for Action which would require a public investigation by a council scrutiny committee.

Two years later, Birmingham City Council has been considering how this might be put into practice.
Backbench councillors preparing even now to submit Calls for Action should think again.

A policy paper drawn up by council scrutiny director John Cade would make Sir Humphrey Appleby of Yes Minister fame green with envy.

Cade sets out proposals for a gateway process through which Councillors Calls for Action would have to pass before reaching the relevant scrutiny committee, taking care to weed out "vexatious" complains.

First, councillors would have to make sure the relevant complaints procedure had been exhausted.

They must then seek to resolve problems by talking to the council and other service providers.
If that doesn't work, a friendly chat with a cabinet member is advised.

If that doesn't do the trick, the matter can then be referred to the relevant scrutiny committee chairman.

That will necessitate informal discussions with partner organisations.

There are then three possible outcomes, according to Cade.

First, the committee could determine to do nothing, "perhaps because it is not the right time to consider a particular issue".

Second, the committee could issue a public report.

Third, the committee could decide it is a complex issue that requires further investigation.

And before anyone can do anything, Cade is suggesting that no councillor should be allowed to issue a Call for Action unless he has attended a training course outlining the gateway proposals.

Quite right, too. I mean, you wouldn't want a load of untrained councillors demanding action, would you?

And, finally. Even if all of the above steps are undertaken it is more than likely that the Call for Action will fall on deaf ears since scrutiny committees have no powers to require the cabinet, or indeed anyone else, to do anything.

Yes, Minister.......