The normally chummy Eric Pickles was in a black mood on the Today programme. Despite
councils’ brazen politicking, Pickles has been deferential in recent months, a stance bemoaned by his allies in local government. But he cut loose this morning.
Ostensibly, he was on the programme to defend his policy that councillors vote, in open session, on pay deals worth over £100,000. He believes this will strengthen local authorities by empowering ‘backbench councillors’, provided that they honour the privilege they have been awarded: council meetings are not renowned for being edifying. (There is clear case for extending the policy to the Civil Service, and no doubt many will call for remuneration in majority publicly owned banks to receive the same scrutiny.)
Many of Pickles’ enemies in local government have resisted transparent pay deals, so Pickles’ determination is welcome.
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