The Tory chairman of North Somerset’s Environmental Services Scrutiny Panel stopped questions and debate on the budget at the January meeting. Chairman Bob Garner said that he would not allow discussion on the budget as it was a matter for the Executive. He also stopped questions, saying that they should be directed to Executive members outside the meeting.

Lib Dem Cllr Deborah Yamanaka said “The Chairman’s decision was quite outrageous. Scrutiny panels are supposed to scrutinise the Executive and this certainly includes the budget. What is the purpose of scrutiny panels if we are not able to ask questions and debate the issues? This is one of the problems of having Tory chairmen of Scrutiny panels when the Executive members are also all Tories. This is a sad day for Democracy in North Somerset. “

At the meeting Deborah Yamanaka also asked the Executive Member Cllr Francis-Pester about his decision made a week earlier to close some public toilets, saving £50,000. Cllr Francis-Pester apologised that the Panel members had not been involved in the decision as promised.

“This is another snub to scrutiny panels from the Executive” said Deborah. “The Environmental Services panel started the review of Public Toilets before the Executive stopped it by carrying out its own review using only Tory councillors. Effective scrutiny does not exist in

published by: North Somerset Liberal Democrats, 12 Henley Lodge, Yatton, Bristol, BS49 4JQ

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