§ Mr. Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessments he has made of the implications for freedom of information of the establishment of cabinets in local authorities. [117001]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe arrangements that we are proposing under Part II of the Local Government Bill would ensure more transparent and inclusive decision-making. These new arrangements involve
an inclusive process of formulating a council's framework and budget, which will be responsibility of the full council in public;publicly known individuals—the executive—being personally responsible for implementing this framework and budget;accurate recording of decisions and their reasons, and timely publication of these and of the background and factual papers available to the decision-maker(s); andpowerful overview and scrutiny committees, meeting in public:to discuss and make recommendations on the development of policies; andto hold each executive member to account for what he or she has done and is planning to do.