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A Radio 4 game show, council branding and deprivation of liberty all came under the spotlight as a local authority met to discuss its future plans.

Members of Redcar and Cleveland Council's Governance Committee met on Tuesday to take part in the initial consultation on the 2019/20 Audit Assurance Plan.

Members were asked to suggest areas that auditors should pay special attention to this year.

What do we want? Shorter reports

Leafing through the 126-page report handed to members, Glyn Nightingale, Liberal Democrat councillor for Ormesby, said he had a proposal.

"If I may make a suggestion, it would be that perhaps we should do an audit on report writing.

"Certainly there's considerable excess here."

He then criticised the writing by referring to the rules of the Radio 4 panel game Just a Minute - in which contestants try to speak on a subject for one minute without hesitation, deviation or repetition.

"There's no hesitation in writing a report, but we do get plenty of deviation and repetition," he said.

"There's a classic example of repetition in these first two reports, because the introduction to the internal audit part repeats it.

"It does seem to me that we do need to do something about it because we're not necessarily getting value for money in terms of what officers are doing."

He added: "So I think it might be an idea to look at report writing as part of the audit arrangements."

The council isn't a brand of coffee or a handbag

Cllr Bob Norton, Redcar and Cleveland Council’s cabinet member for economic growth, was unsure about how some of the suggested audit criteria related to councils.

"Communications: protecting the brand and reputation?" he said.

"Ok, yeah. We're a local authority - we have a reputation. But I'm not so sure about a brand.

"If somebody stole our logo and put it onto something, I don't think I'd get too excited."

"That depends what they put it on Bob," said Cllr Michael Dick.

"You would be right," replied Cllr Norton, "But I can't imagine anybody out there falsifying something with a council logo on it to make it attractive on the black market to sell.

(Image: Redcar and Cleveland Council)

"This isn't a brand of coffee or a specific handbag or a pair of shoes or whatever - it is a local authority.

"That's why I think we need to focus on the hot topics as they affect local government operations."

Deprivation of liberty - a serious issue

Cllr Norton went on the ask about changes to the way council officers are able to deprive a person of their liberty under a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding (DOLS).

"Finally chair, I'd like to include an audit on the new DOLS - the new Deprivation of Liberty system.

"I was alarmed having sat in Adult and Community Scrutiny to learn that the ability and the powers of officers to deprive somebody of their liberty that's been handed down by central government.

"We all understand that a policeman can come and lock us up and take us away.

"We know two doctors can certify us as mad and a judge can lock us up for a long time.

"With the greatest respect - they are professional people - but when we have social workers or officers deciding that someone's liberty is going to be deprived I think that's quite a serious activity and responsibility.

" I'd like to see some audit around the whole of that process and I'd like to see a report every month outlining how many people we've dealt with under the DOLS procedure.

"I'd certainly like to know the numbers and how it has impacted on this authority."