Mayor John Biggs Attends Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Mayor John Biggs has attended the very first meeting of the new Overview and Scrutiny  Committee (OSC). This is in stark contrast to the previous mayor who repeatedly refused to

attend meetings. The Mayor attended the latter part of the meeting in order to answer committee questions  on an executive decision. This marks a significant change in the culture of the council.

The previous mayor only ever attended one meeting of the OSC despite their repeated  attempts to hold him to account. This left the Committee in a position where it was

considering a judicial review.

Mayor John Biggs commented: “I’m committed to a culture of openness and transparency and it is vital for executive

members to attend meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. This is a crucially  important committee that scrutinises decisions and we must do everything possible to

facilitate effective scrutiny. I was glad to attend this meeting and will attend whenever the Committee wishes. I am  equally committed to answering questions during council meetings – we need to discuss

issues openly and fairly if we are to truly work for the benefit of our residents.”