"Is this Democracy?" say Lib Dems

12.52.16pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 31st May 2006

Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition on the County Council, Cllr Zoé Patrick will be expressing her group's concerns about the Tories' proposals to delegate decisions to individual cabinet members at the Cabinet meeting next Tuesday (6th June).

Cllr Patrick said, "Currently all cabinet decisions, including highway and transport ones, are made in public at meetings, at which local councillors, members of the Shadow Cabinet or members of the public have a right to attend and to speak. The Transport Implementation Committee is a good example of where a delegated decision is still open and transparent and taken in public. However, I am disturbed to find that this committee is scheduled to be wound up in September."

Cllr. Patrick referred to other sections of the report where it is stated that

'Local members will be informed and will be able to 'comment'. Shadow Cabinet members will be able to speak 'if' the decision is made at 'a meeting'.

She said she was concerned about decisions not being taken at meetings enabling possible contentious issues being dealt with behind closed doors.

"I am very worried that this is eroding local democracy and putting too much power in the hands of individuals. By abolishing the Transport Implementation Committee they are denying very large number of members of the public, who come to listen and to make representations; one cannot help wondering if the interest shown by the public in it is one reason for its abolition."