County bosses condemned for taking axe to accountability

Tory County Council bosses have been condemned after they voted to reduce the number of Full County Council meetings from six a year to just five.

Responding Lib Dem Finance spokesman County Councillor Michael Mullaney said "The Tory leadership have taken an axe to accountability and democracy. We have a Cabinet system that concentrates power in the hands of a small number of cabinet members.

"Full Council meetings are the one opportunity where the entire council can challenge decisions of the administration. Many Borough Councils and even many parish and town councils have 12 full council meetings a year. Given the huge powers and responsibilities of the County Council it's outrageous that they should have cut the meetings from the already fairly low figure of six a year to just five."