Council meetings should be taped for residents - Adams

1.57.10am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 5th Jan 2006

Cllr Reg Adams

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Cllr Reg Adams has attacked the Conservative councillors on the Borough's Executive Committee for turning down a resident's request to tape the public questions part of the meeting.

The question time can be taped by the Council if residents request it and the councillors on the committee agree. At the last meeting Conservative councillors turned down the request by a local Community Care Group, with opposition councillors voting to allow it.

Clock House Cllr Reg Adams, who was attending the meeting, attacked the vote, saying it had denied a questioner who could not be there the chance to hear a full reply to her question. "I am surprised that the Conservatives voted to deny the request by a local community group that the answers to their questions could be taped. In an open Council this request should have been granted. It is almost as if the Tories did not want the full answers given by the Council Leader to be on permanent record."