REDDITCH Tories have accused Labour of running a ‘banana republic’ over their efforts to change the borough council’s constitution.
Councillor Juliet Brunner (Con, Matchborough), the leader of the Conservatives, said although the authority has a cross-party constitutional review working group it hasn’t met for months, making it impossible to discuss possible changes.
She said the need for change was particularly acute over the time the council’s overview and scrutiny committee (O&S) is given to examine papers before they go before the borough’s decision-making executive committee, which can be just 24 hours.
“This just isn’t long enough in some cases and we would like to see the papers released on the Thursday before,” said Coun Brunner.
She said another example was when a councillor was working outside their own ward, for instance when that area was represented by two men but a female representative was needed.
“We have a working group from all parties to discuss these very things yet it’s not able to meet. I’d expect this behaviour in a banana republic, not here in Redditch,” said Coun Brunner.
A council spokesperson said: “The council can hold a ‘constitutional review working party’ meeting to look at any aspect of the constitution whenever there is an issue to be discussed.”
Leader of the council, Bill Hartnett, added: “Whilst the ‘constitutional review working party’ has no regular meetings scheduled, and I was not aware of any pressing or outstanding items for consideration, I am happy to ask officers to make the necessary arrangements for such a meeting in the near future.”
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