It is inevitable that the new structures and ways of working demanded by a completely new organisation are likely to throw up teething troubles. When it comes to something like a major local authority, which has laboured under a deeply-entrenched bureaucracy and outdated practices for years, it is bound to be harder to embrace new thinking.

So it is not surprising that the activities of the new external scrutiny committee, set up to investigate whether external bodies or organisations are providing best value for Bradford, should experience some initial problems.

It seems perfectly reasonable that such a body should require an opportunity to test out its procedures. The idea of inquiring into the work of the Yorkshire Tourist Board was a relatively gentle option on which to cut its teeth.

However, if it is true that as much as £11,000 was spent, then perhaps the committee needs to rethink whether or not a further practice session should be carried out, given that many hours of councillors' and officers' time was used to tell us little that we did not already know.

The committee is a very good idea which deserves to be well supported. However, it needs to pick its targets more carefully with an eye to providing best value within itself. Perhaps it could start by considering whether there are some meatier issues to tackle for its next project than professional sport in Bradford, a study of which is unlikely to prove a great deal in terms of whether or not the Bulls or the Bantams are providing good value for money for the district.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.