Following the late-night release of Wandsworth Council’s plan to overhaul its political structure — giving the Leader sole control over the appointment of new paid Deputy Cabinet Members — Putney.news has sent the following questions to Councillor Simon Hogg’s office:
On Timing and Transparency
- Why was the report outlining these major constitutional changes published at 10pm on Monday night — less than 24 hours before the committee meeting?
- Was this delay the result of internal processes, or a deliberate decision to reduce scrutiny?
- Does the Leader believe this timeline gave councillors and residents enough time to review the proposals?
On Power and Process
- Why has the structure been designed to give the Leader of the Council sole authority to appoint and remove Deputy Cabinet Members without any vote or oversight from Cabinet or Full Council?
- What criteria will be used to select who gets these new roles?
- Will the public be told which councillors are appointed, what they’ll be working on, and how they’re selected?
On Accountability
- Why will Deputy Cabinet Members be barred from sitting on scrutiny committees related to their policy areas?
- Will they be required to publish reports or updates on their work?
- How will residents or councillors measure the effectiveness of these roles?
On Cost and Justification
- The change is expected to double the existing budget — increasing it by £23,000 a year. Why is this additional cost justified, particularly in a time of financial pressure?
- What specific outcomes or improvements does the Leader expect from creating these paid roles?
- Was consideration given to keeping Policy Champions but reforming how they work — without increasing costs?
On Political Context
- Does the Leader accept that bringing forward these changes weeks after surviving a leadership challenge — and following the sacking of the councillor who challenged him — may be seen as a power consolidation move?
- What would the Leader say to residents who fear this reduces democratic accountability rather than strengthens it?
We await a response and will publish the Leader’s answers in full when received.
