The following is an extract from it. 3.4 Traditional committee structures, still used by almost all councils, lead to inefficient and opaque decision making. Significant decisions are, in many councils, taken behind closed doors by political groups or even a small group of key people within the majority group. Consequently, many councillors, even those in the majority group, have little influence over council decisions. 3.5 Councillors also spend too much time in committee meetings which, because the decisions have already effectively been taken, are unproductive.
Councillors attend too many council meetings.
The evidence is that many wish to spend much more time in direct contact with those they represent. They may have had little say in the decisions taken, but they are required to explain the actions of the council, or their party group, to the people they represent. The emphasis ought to be on bringing the views of their community to bear on the council's decisions, and on scrutinising their performance. 3.6 Equally, there is little clear political Leadership. This is not a reflection on the qualities of council Leaders.