Wokingham Lib-Dems' offer of co-operative working rejected by Tories again
May 21, 2007 12:00 PM
At last Thursday's Annual Council Meeting at Wokingham Borough Council, the Liberal Democrats' offer to work with the Conservatives once again fell on deaf ears.
Councillor Prue Bray (Leader of the Liberal Democrat Councillor Group and Councillor for Winnersh ward) said, "The Council has become an exclusive club with only the favoured few allowed to take part in Council business.
"The Conservatives say they want debate and positive contributions, but then refuse to discuss anything and ignore residents' views. They have even changed the rules to ensure that they dominate Council meetings. The public think that all councillors are involved in decisions within the Council. In fact a lot of the time most of us don't even know that a decision is going to be made until meeting agendas are published."
Prue Bray said that she was frustrated at the way the Conservatives claim they want to engage but then do everything they can to ensure that the only debate that takes place is on their own chosen subjects. She said, "They blatantly manipulate the business of the council meetings so that they end before Lib Dem business can be heard. They have removed Councillors' question time from the Executive agenda, hold many meetings in secret, and often, when they do let the opposition in, we are made to sit at the back and not allowed to speak, as at the Cantley Forum.
"Surely it would be better for all Councillors to be working together in the interests of our residents? That is the point I made to the Conservatives at the Annual Meeting, but they have yet to show any sign that they are listening."
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