Dinner Mattered more than Leighton Dene and Boaler Street care facilities

Cllrs Steve Radford and Chris Lenton
Liberal Party Group
41 Sutton Street
Tuebrook
Liverpool
L13 7EG
07920090322
 
Dear Editor
 
We wish to protest at two deeply disturbing aspects of the council's first annual meeting this year
 
You would have thought after being hammered by the electorate at the local elections the Lib Dems would have been in a listening mood, far from it !
 
They pressed ahead after a brief debate to stick with the closure of both Leighton Dene and Boaler Street Rehab and Care facilities.
 
Even more disturbing was that the newly elected Labour Mayor only allowed two speakers from both Lib Dems and Labour on this debate ,as there was a pressing need to sit for dinner
 
Having supported the call for a special council meeting on this issue we were more than disappointed at this debate being adjunct to the council annual meeting and given such a truncated time for debate.
 
As far as we were concerned the future of first class care facilities mattered more than a council dinner
 
Secondly, last year we had 8 scrutiny committees, they have now been reduced to 6.
 
The worst example must be a committee is now somehow expected to oversee Housing, Recycling , Parks/Environment, Community Safety and a host of other Neighbourhood issues.
 
We fear it represents a deliberate attempt to prevent elected members scrutinise the administratu=ion, officers and leading councillors alike.
 
There is a real danger that the council will make even more major mistakes , like the Matthew Street Festival Fiasco, if ordinary councillors have fewer and fewer opportunities to oversee the administration
 
The Liberal Democrats proclaim transparency and accountability , in practice they are are undermining democratic accountability at every turn
 
Councillors Steve Radford and Chris Lenton
Liberal Party Group