Conservative councillors in Wirral have raised fears that decisions can be made “behind closed doors” under current rules.
In Wirral Council’s committee system, which replaced the cabinet system last year, key decisions are voted on at committee and full council meetings, both of which are public.
However, before these meetings ‘workshops’ or ‘task and finish groups’ often take place to flesh out proposals in detail.
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At last night’s Constitution and Standards Committee, two Tory councillors suggested that this way of working was flawed.
Cllr Paul Hayes, a Conservative councillor for Wallasey, said there is a question of accountability and democracy if important decisions are being made behind closed doors without the viewing public present.
His Tory colleague Cllr Tony Cox, who represents Hoylake and Meols, agreed, saying that behind closed doors working groups should be kept to a minimum given that the committee system was brought in to improve transparency.
Liberal Democrat councillor Phil Gilchrist, who chairs the committee, said working groups are not decision making bodies and their proceedings are always reported somewhere else.
Wirral Council’s leader, Cllr Janette Williamson, also commented in the debate.
The Labour leader said she did not think it was helpful to call working groups "behind closed doors" meetings.
Cllr Williamson thought members needed a space to speak freely and that working groups were not “secret” as she felt Cllr Hayes had implied.
