Lancs CC Tory rulers suppress opposition

12.55.24pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 3rd Jun 2010

At a full Council meeting on Thursday 27th May the Conservative controlled Lancashire County Council, with the support of the BNP, approved a radical reduction in the scrutiny function of Councillors. Scrutiny Committees enable opposition Councillors to hold the decisions of the Conservative administration to account. Leader of the LibDem group, CC Bill Winlow said, "This Conservative run Council has reduced the powers of opposition Councillors so as we cannot effectively scrutinize the sweeping cuts the Tories are raising their axe for. Not only does this reduce the quality of decisions made, but also strips back bench Councillors from holding the leader to account. It is a sad day for democracy in Lancashire and demonstrates the abuse of power when one party has such a massive majority." The electorate was so wise to deny the Conservatives absolute power at the General Election.