Lib Dem Leader denied right to speak for residents

1.04.37pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 16th Oct 2005

Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr David McBride left Monday's meeting of the Council's Executive fuming after Council Leader Stephen Carr refused to let him speak on behalf of his constituents in a debate on special needs provision in the Borough.

Tory plans to close Woodbrook School in Beckenham and amalgamate it with Rectory Paddock in St Paul's Cray would require building work to be done at Rectory Paddock. This would affect residents in St Paul's Cray village, which is in Cllr McBride's Cray Valley East Ward.

However, despite lots of new information about the plan coming out during the debate, Cllr Carr ruled that Cllr McBride could not speak as he had not asked before the debate had started.

Cllr David McBride slammed the ruling, saying, "How am I meant to know what information will come out during the debate? Information affecting my Ward and my residents was presented during the debate and I was not allowed to speak on their behalf. It seems that Cllr Carr was not interested in hearing concerns from my residents, opposition councillors or Woodbrook parents. He knew he had lost the argument and cut short debate for that reason. Unfortunately, that is how the Council seems to be run now."