“this new Design Advisory Panel will feed into the Design Advisory Forum and will be managed by Design for London, which now sits within the London Development Agency’s Design, Development and Environment Division. Got that? I would hate to be responsible for all the tea and biscuits for that lot. Most design committees are a recipe for disaster or inactivity, mainly due to not having an over­arching design supremo with an in-depth understanding of all design disciplines. These are rare animals, but when they are allowed to function things really blossom. Last month saw the death of the great American designer Lou Dorfsman who presided over all things designed at CBS television for 40 years. He was a master in under­stand­ing how creativity, care and consistency can make for a powerful design statement.”
CR Blog » Blog Archive » Let’s form a committee…

Birmingham seems to be heading down this dread path too.