Calls for opposition councillors to have greater scrutiny roles

Shropshire Council’s new Conservative administration has come under fire for continuing to elect members of the ruling group to chair all committees.

The council has five scrutiny committees, tasked with holding the cabinet and portfolio holders to account for their decisions, as well as two planning committees and others that cover things like licensing, pensions and housing.

Membership of all committees was agreed at the first post-election meeting of the full council on Thursday, with seats allocated proportionally to the various political groups.

As the largest group on the council, the Conservatives hold the majority of seats on all committees – giving them the voting power to continually elect chairmen from within the group, with or without the support of other members.

Speaking at the meeting, Labour group leader Alan Mosley said it was not right given the fact the Conservatives won less than 45 per cent of the vote at the local elections earlier this month.

He said: “I hope that we can look for change in the way scrutiny is managed and chaired, and that it’s more democratic in terms of people’s vote being represented.”

But new council leader Lezley Picton said all members committees could make their voice heard regardless of who was chairing.

She said: “The chair is there to chair the meeting, the comments come from across the board.

“We have had this argument before. I don’t plan to change the allocation of scrutiny chairs, at least for the next 12 months.”

Conservative councillors Claire Wild, Simon Jones, Peggy Mullock, Joyce Barrow and Robert Macey were elected to chair the five scrutiny committees – covering performance, health and social care, people, place, and communities respectively.

Following the meeting, Councillor Mosley said: “This is the first time that they have not won the popular vote – there were more people voting for non-Tories than voting for Tories, so they haven’t got the support of the majority of the people of Shropshire.

“They need to reflect on this and scrutiny panels should be opposition-led rather than all being Tory-led, because scrutiny panels are supposed to represent the will of the people and hold the administration to account.

“The elections were a disaster for the Conservatives throughout the county, they lost five seats and came very close in a few others, they have not got the majority of the popular vote, and yet they have got all the power.

“I just hope people realise what’s going on.”

Meanwhile Conservative Paul Wynn was elected to chair the northern planning committee, which will decide the North West Relief Road planning application later this year.

The new committee structure is six Conservative, who are all in support of the road, two Lib Dems, one Labour and one Green, who are against it, and one independent.

Conservative David Evans was elected chair of the southern planning committee.