Draft budget document not published prior to meeting

Question

We had a discussion on our draft budget at one our Committee meetings.  The Clerk did not publish the draft budget document prior to the meeting;  other documents were attached to the meeting agenda.  Although the draft budget was circulated to those councillors attending, members of the public asked why the draft budget was not published ahead of the meeting so they could lobby their councillors.  The Clerk gave the explanation that the draft budget document was a "working document".  Is this a valid reason for not circulating the draft budget?

Answer 1

Ours does that. Hard copies are no longer available yet meeting papers are hard to get hold of. The committee meeting tomorrow had its papers inc draft minutes uploaded today after a request. There is also a subset of papers including a payments list usually distributed to Councillors only. As a member of the public I find it hard to keep up with proceedings. There appears to be an unusual number of retrospective decisions too.

Answer 2

Our Council places all documents that will be discussed, as per the agenda, online, unless they are exempt documents under normal the Public and Media exclusion rules.

As all documents are 'theoretically' working documents, then there is no excuse for not publishing, but adding the caveat that what is published with the agenda, 'may' be different from what is finally presented.

The other thing that 'occasionally' occurs with us, it that we notify they will include xxxx item on the agenda, and the public version will be available on the night, but that is rare.

However, they never hide financial documents, ever...

That is how 'our mob' do it and that has been accepted for a few years now!

Down_here

Comments

...and that is exactly what the Transparency Code requires us all to do. Good to see that it's working down there!