00:00Birmingham City Council is revisiting how its scrutiny committees are organised after a dispute over which political groups should hold
00:08chairing roles.
00:10Following May's elections, no party won overall control.
00:14Reform UK became the largest group with 23 councillors, while a Liberal Democrat, Green and Better Birmingham Coalition formed the
00:22administration.
00:23The Conservatives with 16 councillors were given seven overview and scrutiny chair positions.
00:30Reform argued that arrangement was unfair and raised concerns about political balance under local government law.
00:36The party says external legal advice was later obtained and that the council had been required to reconsider parts of
00:44the system.
00:45Council leader Roger Harmer has said reform and labour did not take part in efforts to form the administration after
00:52the election.
00:53Conservative councillors, meanwhile, have said their experience makes them well-placed to lead scrutiny.
01:00Scrutiny committees are intended to examine council decisions, services and spending, and to hold the administration to account.
01:08Full council has considered an updated report on political proportionality and exemptions from normal political balance rules.
01:16The row centres on how those positions should be shared in a council with no overall majority.
01:21Reform says it wants greater representation, while councillors must now decide arrangements that comply with the rules and command confidence.
01:30s
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