Councillors, Officers and Stakeholders in the New Council Constitutions. Findings from the 2005 ELG Sample Survey

Transcription

1 Councillors, Officers and Stakeholders in the New Council Constitutions Findings from the 2005 ELG Sample Survey

2 Councillors, Officers and Stakeholders in the New Council Constitutions October 2006 Department for Communities and Local Government

3 Findings from the 2005 ELG* Sample Survey Gerry Stoker, Francesca Gains, Stephen Greasley, Peter John and Nirmala Rao * Evaluating Local Governance: New Constitutions and Ethics (ELG) is the name of a research project which is conducting a five year evaluation of the new council constitutions and ethical framework for the Department for Communities and Local Government (Formerly the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister). The project involves a collaboration between the School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester with, Goldsmiths College and the SURF Centre at Salford University. The members of the research team are Professor Gerry Stoker, Professor Peter John, Dr Francesca Gains and Dr Stephen Greasley (University of Manchester), and Professor Nirmala Rao (Goldsmiths College). Further details about the project, publications and current activities can be found on our website The findings and recommendations in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views or proposed policies of the Department for Communities and Local Government. On 5th May 2006 the responsibilities of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) transferred to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) Department for Communities and Local Government Eland House Bressenden Place London SW1E 5DU Telephone: Website: Queen s Printer & Controller of Her Majesty s Stationery Office, 2006 Copyright in the typographical arrangement rests with the Crown. This publication, excluding logos, may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium for research, private study or for internal circulation within an organisation. This is subject to it being reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the title of the publication specified. Any other use of the contents of this publication would require a copyright licence. Please apply for a Click-Use Licence for core material at or by writing to the Office of Public Sector Information, Information Policy Team, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich, NR3 1BQ. Fax: or HMSOlicensing@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk If you require this publication in an alternative format please alternativeformats@communities.gsi.gov.uk DCLG Publications PO Box 236 Wetherby West Yorkshire LS23 7NB Tel: Fax: Textphone: communities@twoten.com or online via the DCLG website: Printed in the UK on material containing no less than 75% post-consumer waste. October 2006 Reference no. 06 LGSRU 04158/4

4 CONTENTS Executive Summary 1 Findings from the councillors survey 2 Findings from the officers survey 3 Findings from the stakeholders survey 4 Overview and comparisons: key findings 4 1. Introduction About the ELG evaluation and background findings The purpose of this report The survey and presentation of findings 8 2. Councillors and the New Council Constitutions Introduction Profile of councillors Time commitments Delegation and officer support Councillors views of reforms overall Decision-making arrangements Executive councillor roles Effectiveness of decision-making Attitudes to leadership Overview and scrutiny Attitudes to overview and scrutiny Effectiveness of overview and scrutiny Non-executive councillor roles in overview and scrutiny The work of standards committees Conclusion Officers and the New Council Constitutions Introduction Profile of officers Training and career prospects of officers Time commitments Delegation and officer support Officers views of reforms overall Decision-making arrangements Changed officer roles Effectiveness of decision-making Attitudes to leadership Overview and scrutiny Officer role in relation to overview and scrutiny Effectiveness of overview and scrutiny Attitudes to overview and scrutiny The work of standards committees Conclusion 46 iii

5 4. Stakeholders and the New Council Constitutions Introduction Profile of stakeholders Stakeholders views of reforms overall Stakeholder relationships with the council Effectiveness of the new arrangements Views on partnership working in the LSP Conclusion Comparisons and Overview Introduction Views on reform The outcomes of the Act The effectiveness of the executive The effectiveness of overview and scrutiny The impact of the new arrangements Conclusion 62 Appendix A 65 Appendix B 67 Appendix C 69 iv

6 LIST OF TABLES 2.1 Current council roles Average hours per month spent on council activities by executive members, 2003 and Average hours per month spent on council activities by non-executive members, 2003 and Councillors perception of time spent on aspects of council work Councillors views on the extent of delegation to officers Councillors views on the extent of delegation to officers, by type of constitution Councillors views on the extent of delegation to officers, by councillor status Councillors satisfaction with officer support Councillors views on the current arrangements, 2003 and Councillors views on the current arrangements, 2003 and 2005 (excluding those with no experience of the past system) Councillors views on the current arrangements by executive and non-executive members Councillors views of the current arrangements, by party, 2003 and Councillors views on the working of the new arrangements, by type of constitution Councillors views on the impact of reforms on career prospects by member status Councillors views on the effectiveness of the current constitutional arrangements in the last two years Councillors views on the effectiveness of the current constitutional arrangements compare with the last two years, by type of constitution Councillors views on the new political management arrangements Councillors views on the new political management arrangements, by type of constitution Councillors views on the effect of the new political management arrangements, by majority or no overall control Duties undertaken as an executive councillor 2003 and Councillors views on the effectiveness of the executive (or equivalent committee) Councillors views on the effectiveness of executive arrangements by type of constitution Understanding of key decisions and use of forward plan Councillors views on the effectiveness of the arrangements for area based decision-making, 2003 and Councillors attitudes to the role of the leader Attitudes to leader s powers, by party Councillors views on the role of the overview and scrutiny committee Councillors views on the effectiveness of overview and scrutiny committees Margin of agreement on the effectiveness of overview and scrutiny committees 25 v

7 2.30 Councillors views on the effectiveness of overview and scrutiny committees, by type of constitution Councillor s views on the effectiveness of overview and scrutiny committees, by type of constitution, 2003 and Policy change in the area of the respondent s portfolio as a result of overview and scrutiny committee Duties undertaken as a non-executive member, 2003 and Councillors means of communication with constituents Responses to representations from constituents Officers roles Officers training and provision Impact of the reforms on officers careers Perception of career impact by democratic services and scrutiny officers Activities preformed by officers Officers-hours spent in a typical month on various activities Delegation of powers Perception of delegation by service heads a Views on effectiveness of the new arrangements b Views on effectiveness of the new arrangements, 2003 and Views on effectiveness of the new arrangements, 2003 and 2005 a) Corporate team 36 b) Service heads 36 c) Democratic and scrutiny officers Officers views on changes in the council over the last two years Officers views in the effectiveness of the current constitutional arrangements compared with the last two years by type of constitution Officers views on current political management arrangements Democratic legitimacy and public trust in local government, by type of constitution Contact with elected members Officers views on the effectiveness of the executive (or equivalent) Consultation the forward plan Clarity as to what qualifies as a key decision Effectiveness of full council Effectiveness of area based decision-making Views on the role of the leader of the council Officer support for overview and scrutiny Officers views on the effectiveness of overview and scrutiny Officers views on the role of overview and scrutiny committees, 2003 and Officers views on the organisation of overview and scrutiny 45 vi

8 4.1 Employment status Representation on Local Strategic Partnerships Committee memberships Stakeholders views on the working of the new arrangements Stakeholders satisfaction with the reforms, 2003 and Other relationships with the council Other council activity in the past two years 2003 and Meeting with decision-makers in the last two years, 2003 and Stakeholders views on changes in the council over the last two years Stakeholders views on the effectiveness of the current constitutional arrangements compared with the last two years, by type of constitution Stakeholders views on current policy management arrangements Stakeholders views on current political management arrangements, by type of constitution Stakeholders views on the local strategic partnership Views of current arrangement by non-mayoral and mayoral authorities, combined sample Views of current arrangement by majority and no overall control authorities, combined sample Changes in political management over the previous two years, councillors, officers and stakeholders Changes in political management over the previous two years, mayoral and non-mayoral, combined sample Councillors and officers views on the effectiveness for the executive (or equivalent) Councillors and officers views on the effectiveness of overview and scrutiny committees Combined councillors and officers views on the effectiveness of overview and scrutiny committees, mayoral and non-mayoral Combined councillors and officers views on the effectiveness of overview and scrutiny committees, majority and no overall control authorities The effects of the new political management arrangements by councillors, officers and stakeholders The effects of the new political management arrangements by mayoral and non-mayoral authorities, combined sample 61 vii

9 LIST OF FIGURES 2.1 Councillor s views on the conduct of standards committee adjudications Councillor s perceptions on the effectiveness of the local standards committee in supporting ethical conduct Officers views on the conduct of standards committee adjudications Officers views on the effectiveness of standards committee in supporting an ethical organisation Views on the current arrangements: councillors, officers and stakeholders 55 viii

10 Executive Summary The Local Government Act 2000 introduced new political management arrangements in 386 English principal local authorities. Part II of the Act changed decision-making arrangements from committee based decision-making in all but the smallest local authorities. All authorities with populations over 85,000 had to adopt either a mayoral system or a leader and cabinet to enhance executive decision-making. Smaller authorities had to introduce streamlined decision-making systems through a smaller number of policy committees. Non-executive councillors were to develop a stronger role in community representation and a new role in scrutinising executive decisionmaking. Part III of the Act introduced a new ethical framework. The Government s hope was that introducing a separation of powers would strengthen leadership and improve the decision-making capacity of local authorities. The Evaluating Local Governance (ELG) research team are in the final year of a five year evaluation of the Act and have drawn on a mix of survey data and case study visits to publish information about the implementation and operation of the Act. Our first report 1 was based on visits to 40 local authorities and a census survey of all 386 authorities. This report found that whilst implementation had not generally been problematic, only 16% of leader-cabinet authorities had adopted constitutions which appeared to offer both strong leadership and strong scrutiny in line with the policymakers aims. Our second report 2 examined more closely the processes which were emerging to operate the new arrangements specifically, the roles of, and relationships between councillors, officers and stakeholders. This report drew on visits to 20 local authorities and a survey of councillors, key officers and local stakeholders in a representative sample of 40 local authorities in the autumn of The key findings were that processes to support the changes to executive decision-making through the creation of cabinets and mayors were well established. Whilst overview and scrutiny activity was still developing as a part of the decision-making process, in most cases, it was still making a positive contribution. All the ELG publications are published on both the ELG website ( and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) website ( This report presents data taken from a follow up survey of councillors, officers and stakeholders in 40 local authorities conducted in the autumn of We received 1911 valid responses and the survey had a response rate of 45%. The analyses presented in this report explore whether change has occurred since the first years of operating the new council constitutions by examining the way councillors, officers and stakeholders view the reforms and have adopted different ways of working and relating to others. The report therefore repeats the analyses conducted from the 2003 survey data, the findings of which can be found in Rao (2005) 3 and John (2005) 4. Key findings from the 2005 sample survey are bulleted below. 1 Stoker, Gerry, Francesca Gains, Peter John, Nirmala Rao and Alan Harding (2003) Implementing the 2000 Act with Respect to New Council Constitutions and the Ethical Framework: First Report Available at: 2 Stoker, Gerry, Francesca Gains, Stephen Greasley, Peter John, Nirmala Rao (2004) Operating the New Council Constitutions in English Local Authorities: A Process Evaluation London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. 3 Rao, Nirmala (2005) Councillors and the New Council Constitutions London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. 4 John, Peter (2005) Stakeholders and Officers and the New Council Constitutions London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister 1

11 Key findings from the councillors survey There has been little change in the diversity and profile of councillors, threequarters (74%) are male, just over a third (35%) are under the age of 55 years and the vast majority (92%) describe themselves as white. Councillors spend on average 81 hours per month on council business. This is slightly less than the 83 hours reported in Executive councillors spend considerable more time per month (112 hours) although this figure has not risen since Executive councillors view the reforms more favourably than non-executive councillors, and Labour councillors are more positive than councillors from the other parties. There are modest indications that councillors from the other parties dislike the reforms less than two years ago. Councillors in mayoral authorities are most enthusiastic about the reforms. Views on the effectiveness of the reforms show strongest agreement with those aspects associated with the aim of enhancing leadership (agreement that the leader is stronger, decision-making is quicker and the leader has a higher public profile). There is less strong agreement with democratic legitimacy or checks and balances aims. There are gains in the 2005 responses in terms of transparency and partnership aims. The majority of councillors disagree that backbenchers are more engaged (70% disagree) and the public is more involved in decision-making (58%) and the majority (54%) agree that political parties dominate decision-making more. Councillors in mayoral authorities are more positive about leadership strength and also less likely to agree that political parties dominate decision-making. The majority of councillors are positive about the effectiveness of the executive; except when asked how well executives respond to the concerns of nonexecutives or manage party relations. Whilst opinions on the effectiveness of overview and scrutiny are mixed, they have broadly shifted in a statistically significant positive direction between 2003 and There is a 13 point increase in the number of executive councillors reporting a change in decision on their portfolio as a result of overview and scrutiny with 60% indicating this in 2005 as opposed to 47% in However nearly one in ten councillors (9%) report that the whip is applied to overview and scrutiny activity. Nearly one in five (17%) councillors does not consult the forward plan to identify forthcoming decision-making. More than half of councillors (55%) found the local standards committee effective and only one in ten (10%) were dissatisfied with the work of their standards committee. 2

12 Key findings from the officers survey There is little concern expressed that the new arrangements have led to a problem of two-hattedness where it is difficult for officers to serve both executive and non-executive councillors. Officers are spending more than twice as much time liaising with partners in 2005 compared to 2003 (14 hours per month as opposed to 6 hours per month). There has been a further delegation of decision-making to officers. Officers show increased levels of approval for the reform since 2003 with 68% agreeing that the system is an improvement. This level is lower in hung authorities where the level of agreement falls to 57% compared to 71% in majority controlled authorities. Officers agree that the new arrangements have led to improvements in council leadership and decision-making processes however most felt that backbench members have not become more engaged or that the new system had encouraged greater diversity. Officers in the mayoral authorities are significantly more positive about changes in their authority in general and in particular about transparency, the profile of the leadership and the limiting of the extent to which parties dominate decision. There is strong agreement that the Act has achieved all three aims, with almost nine out of ten (88%) officers stating that the system supports effective political leadership; and around seven in ten agree that the Act has promoted democratic legitimacy and public trust (67%) and provided checks and balances to guarantee transparency (72%). In terms of core executive tasks, officers are very positive about the new system. A majority of officers agree that executives have been effective in articulating a vision for the area, driving service performance, setting policy direction, delivering council policy, working with stakeholders, promoting good external relations and dealing with the budget process. Only 45% of officers agree that the executive is effective at leading partnership bodies but only 19% disagree. The weaknesses of the executive are seen to be in responding to the concerns of non-executives and managing relations in party groups where only a quarter (24% in both cases) agree that executives have been effective at undertaking these roles. There is an increase in the view that overview and scrutiny activities are adequately supported 64% (up from 51% in 2003). There is little change to the level of agreement of effectiveness of overview and scrutiny in a range of activities over the two years. Officers again felt overview and scrutiny was effective at reviewing service outcomes and involving external stakeholders and less effective at providing clear lines of accountability, and exploring innovative forms of service delivery. Opinion was evenly split on holding decision-makers to account, ensuring local views are taken into account and investigating non local authority service providers. 3

13 Key findings from the stakeholders survey Stakeholders from mayoral authorities are more positive than stakeholders from non-mayoral authorities with 85% considering the new system an improvement compared to 56%. Likewise stakeholders who are members of the LSP are more positive than stakeholders who are not LSP members (66% reporting that the new system is an improvement compared to 48%). Stakeholders are most likely to meet with officers and the frequency of their contacts with executive councillors has not changed since Stakeholders in mayoral authorities report more favourably on the speed of decision-making, leader profile, and public involvement and are marginally less likely to agree with the statement that political parties dominate decision-making when compared to leader-cabinet stakeholders. Mayoral stakeholders are more likely than stakeholders in general to agree with statements that the reforms support visible and effective leadership and that the system provides checks and balances. Overview and comparisons: key findings Officers and stakeholders are more convinced of the virtues of the new arrangements than councillors, in particular non-executive councillors. Officers, councillors and stakeholders in mayoral authorities are much more satisfied with the new system than their counterparts in other management arrangement authorities. Respondents from mayoral authorities show stronger agreement with a range of assessment measures. The striking differences are for the strength and profile of political leadership, but respondents from mayoral authorities also respond more positively to statements on transparency, public involvement, relations with partners, and the involvement of women and ethnic groups. Respondents in mayoral authorities are also less likely to agree with the statement political parties dominate decision-making. In general officers are more positive than councillors in their views on the effectiveness of their executive. The majority of councillors and officers agree that their executive is effective in articulating a vision, leading a drive to service performance, setting policy direction, ensuring delivery, and dealing with the budget process. Slightly fewer than half of councillors and officers agree that their executive has been effective in leading partnership bodies (46% of councillors agree; 45% of officers). Only around a quarter of respondents agree that their executive has been effective in responding to the concerns of non-executives (28% of councillors; 24% of officers) and managing party relations (29% of councillors; 24% of officers). 4

14 Across all types of authority and combining all responses there is overwhelming agreement that the 2000 Act changes have delivered effective leadership. More than half agree that the new system promotes democratic legitimacy and provides adequate checks and balances. In the case of mayoral authorities more than twothirds hold that both these features have been achieved and the difference between mayoral and non-mayoral authorities over perceived democratic legitimacy is statistically significant. 5

15 1. Introduction The Local Government Act 2000 is a central part of New Labour s local government modernisation agenda. Its implementation marked the end, in all but the smallest authorities, of the long established committee system in local government. English authorities with populations over 85,000 had to adopt either a mayoral system or a leader and cabinet to enhance executive decision-making. Non-executive councillors were to develop a stronger role in community representation and a role in scrutinising executive decision-making. A new ethical framework was also set in place. The Government s core impetus was that the introduction of a separation of powers would strengthen leadership and improve the decision-making capacity of local authorities. The objectives of the Act were threefold: To create a more visible and effective political leadership in local councils in order to enhance the prospects for effective service delivery and of broader community programmes meeting local and national targets; To enhance democratic legitimacy of local government, to enable it to gain in public respect and trust so that it could provide a sustainable and viable forum for local collective choice; and To provide sufficient checks and balances in the construction of new council constitutions to ensure that other objectives such as freedom of information, transparency of decision-making and the involvement of a wide base of councillors in local politics were not undermined by the drive to stronger executive leadership. This report is one of a series that seek to explore whether the new constitutional arrangements have been successful in achieving these objectives. It presents data taken from a 2005 survey of councillors, officers and stakeholders in 40 authorities and illustrates respondents beliefs, attitudes and their changing roles under the new Act. This survey follows up on a similar survey undertaken in 2003 and tracks changes over time. It is one of a number of instruments researchers from the Evaluating Local Governance (ELG) research team have used to evaluate the outcomes of the 2000 Act. 1.1 About the ELG evaluation and background findings The ELG evaluation of the Local Government Act 2000 offers the rare benefit of a five year period in which to investigate the implementation, outcome and impact of this wide-ranging piece of legislation. In the first year of the evaluation, data were gathered on how the 386 principal local authorities had implemented the Act given the wide variations in possible constitutional form and design. To gather this initial evidence a census survey was issued to all local authorities (75% response rate). From these data, a representative range of 40 authorities were chosen as case study authorities and subject to further examination. Findings from this initial research were presented in our first report 5, an executive summary of which was sent to all local authority chief executives. 5 Stoker, Gerry, Francesca Gains, Peter John, Nirmala Rao and Alan Harding (2003) Implementing the 2000 Act with Respect to New Council Constitutions and the Ethical Framework: First Report Available at: 6

16 Our initial report found that most authorities had chosen the leader-cabinet option and that there had been no significant problems in the implementation of the new executive arrangements. An initial set of institutional indicators to measure the strength of leadership and scrutiny in local authorities were developed. While implementation had not generally been problematic, using these indicators only 16% of leader-cabinet authorities had adopted constitutions which appeared to offer both strong leadership and strong scrutiny. The second year of research built on these baseline data and examined more closely the processes which were emerging to operate the new arrangements-specifically, the roles of, and relationships between councillors, officers and stakeholders. To do this, councillors, key officers and local stakeholders in a representative sample of 40 local authorities were surveyed (40% response rate). Documentary evidence from 20 authorities was also examined and two days were spent in each, conducting interviews with councillors, officers and local stakeholders. Findings from this research were presented in our Second Annual Report 6 (2004). Issue papers on diversity, alternative arrangements authorities, mayoral authorities, politically hung authorities, and leadership supplemented the 2004 Annual Report (a full list of outputs from the project can be found at Appendix A). Key findings were that processes to support the changes to executive decision-making through the creation of cabinets and mayors were well established and whilst overview and scrutiny activity was less well understood or enacted than executive activity, in most cases, it was still making a positive contribution. The first two years of the evaluation were formative in nature. Although the objective of ELG research is not to produce good practice guidance, ELG have sought through the ELG website, issue papers, reports, conference presentations, network meetings and case study visits, to share emerging findings in the hope that this will feed into the processes of policy implementation, development and debate taking place within local authorities. Indeed, ELG intend to maintain a dialogue with the local government community through continued attendance at conferences and seminars and through the website for the remaining research period. During the last stage of our evaluation we move to a summative phase and seek to measure the overall outcomes and impacts of the legislation. This report is one of three documents which we will draw on in writing the final outcome and impact evaluations for the end of the research in spring The other two documents are a report of the qualitative data 7 from our fieldwork in 2005 and 2006 and a briefing note on the findings of our 2006 follow up census survey 8. All three documents are due to be published in October Stoker, Gerry, Francesca Gains, Stephen Greasley, Peter John and Nirmala Rao (2004) Operating the New Council Constitutions in English Local Authorities: A Process Evaluation London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. 7 Gains, Francesca (2006) Early Outcomes and Impacts: Qualitative research findings from the ELG evaluation of new council constitutions London: Department for Communities and Local Government. 8 Gains, Francesca (2006) New Council Constitutions: A summary of ELG research findings London: Department for Communities and Local Government. 7

17 1.2 The purpose of this report The purpose of this report is to detail findings from wave two of our survey of 40 local authorities. The survey was undertaken in The report repeats analyses conducted on the 2003 survey data. Findings from the 2003 survey are reported in Rao (2005) 9 and John (2005) 10. The aim of the survey is to probe local government insiders (councillors, stakeholders and officers) in 40 authorities for their views on the effectiveness of the new council constitutions and ethical framework. In earlier reports we described the views of these insiders soon after the implementation of the Act. The current survey allows us to update those views two years later after the system has had time to bed down. The time series data we now have enables comparison within and between these groups. As with any large survey there are a vast number of possible cross tabulations. Due to their sheer size and number, it is not possible to show all tables in this report. Where possible (and necessary), reference will be made to the equivalent or relevant results in earlier outputs. Nevertheless, this report is intended to present a comprehensive picture of the three datasets and is therefore, by necessity, quite lengthy. Our forthcoming (2007) will draw on key findings here as well as data from the case study visits and census survey data. 1.3 The survey and presentation of findings Surveys were distributed to all councillors and selected officers and stakeholders in 40 authorities in the summer and autumn of With one exception, these authorities are the same as those surveyed in However, due to the natural turnover of councillors, officers and stakeholders, the individual respondents may have changed. The authorities were chosen to reflect a representative sample of the wider local government community. An overall response rate of 45% (N= 1911) was achieved. Further details of methodology and a table showing a breakdown of response rates across the three groups and the 40 authorities are shown in Appendix B. Copies of the questionnaires are attached at Appendix C. Throughout the report, all relationships between variables have been checked for statistical significance. This is done by the usual 95% confidence test. In the tables, the statistical significance of relationships is indicated by: * = p <.05; ** = p <.01; and *** = p <.001. This report is comprised six chapters. Chapters 2, 3 and 4 present results for each of the groups under examination: councillors, officers and stakeholders. Chapter 5 provides a synopsis of findings and comparison between groups. In each chapter, a demographic profile of the group under examination is presented followed by their perceptions of and attitudes to, the reform process. Research findings are purposely oriented around issues pertaining to decision-making, overview and scrutiny and the work of the standards committee. 9 Rao, Nirmala (2005) Councillors and the New Council Constitutions London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. 10 John, Peter (2005) Stakeholders and Officers and the New Council Constitutions London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. 8

18 2. Councillors and the New Council Constitutions 2.1 Introduction This chapter reports findings from the 2005 councillors survey. The same analyses conducted in 2003 and reported in Rao (2005) 11 are conducted and reported here enabling comparison over time of councillors views of the effectiveness of the new council constitutions. Nine hundred and eighty valid responses were received, which represents a 42% response rate. Where appropriate the chapter explores differences in perceptions and roles between executive councillors, who are likely to hold portfolio responsibilities and have the ability to make executive decisions, and non-executive councillors who are likely to be involved in overview and scrutiny and regulatory activities. We also explore the effects of party group, type of political management and whether or not there is majority control on views of the new council constitutions. The chapter begins by looking at the demographic profile of councillors followed by their perceptions of, and attitudes to, the reform process overall. Research findings on attitudes towards, and experiences of, executive decisionmaking, overview and scrutiny and the standards committee are then presented. 2.2 Profile of councillors Of the responding councillors, 35% were elected Conservative members, 34% Labour Party candidates, 27% Liberal Democrats and 3% Independents. A small number of other parties are also represented. Almost three-quarters (74%) of the responding councillors had been elected prior to the introduction of the new arrangements in 2002 and were therefore in a position to comment on the previous arrangement. Table 2.1: Current council roles Leader of the council 2 Chair/mayor of the council 3 Executive member of the council 16 Executive member without portfolio 2 Overview and scrutiny committee chair 18 Overview and scrutiny committee member 41 Member of the standards committee 10 Party leader 6 Member of regulatory committee 27 None of these 5 Other 39 (base) (913) % 11 Rao, Nirmala (2005) Councillors and the New Council Constitutions London: Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. 9

19 The vast majority of councillors were elected on a party ticket. The average length of time spent as a councillor was 11 years. Almost all councillors (83%) are members of community or voluntary groups, with an average of 3.82 group memberships per councillor. Three-quarters of the responding councillors are male (74%), just over a third (35%) are under the age of 55 years and more than a quarter are aged over 65 (26%). The vast majority of councillors identified themselves as white (92%), with just 1% Asian and 1% Black Caribbean. However, 4% of all councillors responding to the survey described themselves as having other ethnicity and 2% did not declare their ethnic origin. Councillors are generally well-educated with four in ten (37%) possessing a university degree and just one in ten (9%) having no educational qualifications. This profile generally confirms other recent research 12 on the composition of the councillor body. This is also the case with respect to employment status: just one in four (24%) councillors is employed full-time, with 12% employed on a part-time basis. Some 16% are self-employed, and more than one in three (37%) are retired. Comparing these findings with previous national surveys of councillors shows that the demographic composition of councillors has been largely unchanged since the early 1990s Time commitments The mean time spent by councillors on council-related activities is 81 hours per month. This has scarcely changed since the last survey (83 hours in 2003). Considerably more time is spent by leaders (150 hours) and portfolio-holding members of the executive (112 hours). This figure has also not changed since the last survey. Women spend more time than men (92 and 78 hours respectively). The survey asked executive councillors for a more detailed breakdown of how they spend their time. These findings are presented in Table See for example, Rao, Nirmala (2000) Research Report to the Nuffield Foundation on the Political Representativeness of Councillors, unpublished. 13 Young, Ken and Nirmala Rao (1993) Coming to Terms with Change: The Local Government Councillor in 1993 York: The Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 10

20 Table 2.2: Average hours per month spent on council activities by executive members, 2003 and Formal cabinet meetings 5 5 Informal cabinet meetings 6 6 Preparing for cabinet meetings 7 5 Liaising with overview and scrutiny committee 3 4 Liaising with partners 6 6 Writing reports 3 4 Reading reports Meeting with non-executive members 6 6 Meeting with party group 5 5 Representing constituents 14 Meeting with senior managers 8 Area committees 3 Dealing with media 3 Other 28 As Table 2.2 shows, the distribution of time spent on a range of activities remains virtually unchanged compared to 2003, with more time spent reading reports than on any other function. The 2005 survey included a number of activities (relating to time spent representing constituents, area committees and the media) which were not included in the 2003 survey. While comparison over time is not possible, these data show that executive members spend a considerable amount of time on constituency matters. The importance of ward and constituency work for executive members also comes out in their responses to the other category. We are not able to provide figures for these time commitments, but meetings and events related to constituency issues, including attending parish council and resident association meetings, were commonly mentioned, and other external work included attending meetings of partnership bodies, conferences, meetings of associations such as the LGA. Responding to correspondence and general administrative work were prominent, as were training, travelling and a variety of other meetings at the council. Table 2.3 provides similar data for non-executive members. Perhaps not surprisingly non-executive members spend a greater proportion of their time on communicating with their constituents (18 hours per month) than any other function, although reading and preparation (17 hours) for meetings runs at a close second. The other activities identified by non-executive members did not vary a great deal from those of the executives with ward issues for example case work, attending parish council meetings, writing and delivering newsletters being very commonly mentioned. Administrative tasks were also frequently cited. 11

21 Table 2.3: Average hours per month spent on council activities by non-executive members, 2003 and Working groups (task and finish groups) 8 7 Party meetings 6 6 Discussion with executive members 4 3 Communication with constituents Area committee 5 4 Reading/preparation 17 Regulatory committees 7 Contact with stakeholders 6 Others 21 In presenting the results from the 2003 survey we commented that many councillors, when asked to rate whether the time councillors in general spend on various activities is too much, too little or about right, appeared to answer on the basis of their own experience. As in 2003 (see Rao 2005: 18; Table 13), Table 2.4 shows councillors to be broadly satisfied with their time commitments. Time spent representing constituents gains the highest approval rating 75% the same figure as in the 2003 survey. While not asked in the 2003 survey, time spent on policy development was an area that 49% of councillors are emphatic that not enough time is spent. Table 2.4: Councillors perceptions of time spent on aspects of council work Time spent is too is too is about not much little right applicable (base) Attending meetings of the executive % (810) Preparing for meetings of the executive % (794) Policy development % (814) Representing the council on outside bodies % (837) Attending meetings of area committees % (814) Preparing for meetings of area committees % (799) Representing constituents % (882) Attending O & S committees % (863) Preparing for O & S committees % (856) Attending regulatory committees % (831) Preparing for regulatory committees % (821) Time on standards issues % (825) 12

22 2.4 Delegation and officer support Previous surveys 14 have asked councillors about their attitudes to the delegation of powers to officers. In the ELG 2003 sample survey, 48% of councillors thought the extent of delegation was excessive and 46% about right. In this survey, for the first time, a majority of councillors express satisfaction with the extent of delegation, with a 12-point margin over those who think it excessive (Table 2.5). Table 2.6 shows that this pattern is constant across mayoral and leader-cabinet authorities, but with higher levels of satisfaction in those smaller authorities that opted for alternative arrangements. Although the table shows non-significant differences, the difference between alternative arrangements and other authorities is statistically significant at p <.05. Table 2.5: Councillors views on the extent of delegation to officers The extent of delegation to officers is... % Excessive 42 Insufficient 5 About right 54 (base) (873) Table 2.6: Councillors views on the extent of delegation to officers, by type of constitution The extent of delegation Mayoral Leader-cabinet Alternative to officers is authorities authorities arrangements % % % Excessive Insufficient About right (base) (83) (705) (73) n/s Table 2.7 compares executive and non-executive councillors views on the delegation of powers to officers. As might be expected, executive members are far more favourable to delegation but overall a shift to greater acceptance has occurred among both types of councillor: 66% of executive councillors thought delegation about right in 2003, which has risen to 74% in 2005, with the figures increasing from 40% to 48% for non-executive councillors. 14 Young, Ken and Nirmala Rao (1993) Coming to Terms with Change: The Local Government Councillor in 1993 York: The Joseph Rowntree Foundation. Widdicombe, D. (1986) Committee of Inquiry into the Conduct of Local Authority Business: The Local Government Councillors London: Her Majesty s Stationery Office 13

23 Table 2.7: Councillors views on the extent of delegation to officers, by councillor status The extent of delegation Executive Non-executive to officers is councillors councillors As in the previous survey, we distinguish attitudes to delegation from satisfaction with officer support. Table 2.8 shows that while 62% of all councillors are satisfied with officer support for their role and only 16% are dissatisfied, executive councillors are considerably more content than non-executives (78% compared with 57% respectively). There have been small increases in satisfaction levels since the last survey (see Rao 2005: 20; Table 17). Table 2.8: Councillors satisfaction with officer support % % Excessive Insufficient 3 5 About right (base) (196) (676) p <.001 Executive Non-executive councillors councillors Total % % % Satisfied Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Dissatisfied (base) (197) (696) (893) p < Councillors views of reforms overall Councillors were asked whether they thought the current arrangements represented an improvement from previous arrangements (Table 2.9). The same percentage of councillors agree that the system is either a significant or to some extent an improvement in both 2003 and 2005 (27%), fewer councillors in 2005 agree with the statement introducing the system was a retrograde step (only 25% in 2005 and 35% in 2003). Nearly a quarter of respondents (22%) to the 2005 survey report that they have no experience of the past system (compared to 12% in 2003). 14

24 Table 2.9: Councillors views on the current arrangements, 2003 and % % The new system is a significant improvement 8 9 The new system is to some extent an improvement The new system has made little difference 3 5 The new system has some disadvantages Introducing the new system was a retrograde step No experience of the past system (base) (881) (861) Table 2.10 excludes respondents with no experience of the previous arrangements from the analysis. The table shows that there is some change in satisfaction levels over time with a lower proportion of councillors believing the new system is a retrograde step in 2005 than in 2003, and a higher proportion agreeing that it is a significant improvement. Table 2.10: Councillors views on the current arrangements, 2003 and 2005 (excluding those with no experience of the past system) % % The new system is a significant improvement 9 12 The new system is to some extent an improvement The new system has made little difference 3 6 The new system has some disadvantages Introducing the new system was a retrograde step (base) (776) (671) p <.01 There is a difference between executive and non-executive councillors in their view of the new system: executive councillors are more positive. As shown in Table 2.11, 19% of executive members consider the new system a significant improvement (compared with 7% of non-executive members). However, 25% of non-executive members did not have experience of the past system (compared with 13% of executive members). 15

25 Table 2.11: Councillors views on the current arrangements by executive and non-executive members Executive members Non-executive members % % The new system is a significant improvement 18 6 The new system is to some extent an improvement The new system has made little difference 5 5 The new system has some disadvantages Introducing the new system is a retrograde step No experience of the past system (base) (185) (674) p <.001 Difference between the views of councillors of different parties is conditioned by the fact that electoral turnover means that the proportion of councillors with no experience of the previous system increases over time. To facilitate comparison, all councillors with no experience of the previous system are excluded from Table 2.12 below. As the table shows, in both 2003 and 2005, Labour councillors who served under the previous system are more favourably disposed towards the changes than their Conservative and Liberal Democrat peers. Table 2.12: Councillors views of the current arrangements, by party, 2003 and 2005 Conservative Labour Lib-Dem % % % Significant improvement To some extent an improvement Little difference Some disadvantages A retrograde step (base) (266) (214) (312) (246) (181) (148) p <.001 The stability of Labour councillors views over time is quite remarkable. There has been a shift towards acceptance of the new system on the parts of both Conservatives and Liberal Democrat councillors (fewer of whom now think the new system has some disadvantages or is a retrograde step than in 2003). Similarly, comparison between different types of authorities shows greater acceptance across the board. As before, councillors in mayoral authorities are the most enthusiastic about the new system, with 39% agreeing that it is an improvement (either a significant improvement or to some extent an improvement ); councillors in leader-cabinet authorities are least likely to welcome the changes (only 25% indicate that it was an improvement on the past system). There is no difference between authorities with a majority when compared to those with no overall control. These data are presented in Table