Essex Tories : No friends to Open Government

5.11.06pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 15th Jul 2008

Lord Hanningfield, Conservative leader of Essex County Council has slammed a proposal by Essex Liberal Democrats to allow the public to speak directly to councillors at council meetings and to ask questions about the work of the council. Lord Hanningfield made his comments at a debate on public participation at a meeting of the full council on 15th July.

Responding to the comments, Cllr Geoff Williams, Liberal Democrats group leader on Basildon Council said: "Lord Hanningfield's comments show a level of arrogance that is almost impossible to comprehend. There are many district and borough councils across Essex, including Basildon, that have had such a spot for members of the public for several years. Essex Lib Dems were only asking for something that the public is getting already from their councils locally anyway."

There is no direct public involvement at the decision making level of the county council and the public is only involved when specifically invited in.

Geoff Williams further commented: "I'm afraid that this is what happens when the county council is run by dinosaurs ! The Conservative talk of localism and devolvement of power to the people is clearly just talk. The Conservatives are simply not to be trusted on this issue."