Yesterday, I commented on the Audit Scotland Best Value 2 report on Dundee City Council, and I suggested a reduction in the number of committees - specifically :" ... there be a reduction in the number of committees with the merger of the Audit and Risk Management Sub-Committee and the Improvement and Efficiency Sub-Committee into the Scrutiny Committee. These committees have fairly similar remits and it is all overly cumbersome, top-heavy and bureaucratic. In the current financial climate, the council should be streamlining and should be striving for efficiency."
Today's Improvement and Efficiency Sub-Committee had 8 councillors at it, 14 senior council officers and - despite having 5 agenda items to discuss (and my asking more questions than anyone else) - the meeting lasted just short of only 30 minutes.
There has to be a better way - and a merger of the committees I mention above is the obvious solution.