Council chiefs have shelved plans to alter the boundary of a local area committee after an outcry from opposition councillors and local residents.
Leeds Council leader Keith Wakefield this morning withdrew the paper which proposed to move Weetwood Ward from the inner north west to the outer north west area committee. The proposals - which had prompted accusations of 'political gerrymandering' last week - would have seen Far Headingley split way from Headingley, and would have been debated at the next full council meeting.
The climbdown at the general purposes committeee in Leeds Civic Hall this morning, came after opposition councillors attacked the proposals as being undemocratic and criticised the lack of consultation with the public and local ward members.
Area committees aim to make sure that local priorities are taken into account to deliver the best possible services in the way local people want.
Weetwood Liberal Democrat councillor Sue Bentley said:
"I have never seen a paper like this come to a public meeting before. There is no real information as to why there is a need to make this change. This decision affects 180,000 residents and they have not even been given a chance to have a say.
"This is totally undemocratic. Local ward members have not been consulted either. This is very serious issue. It contravenes all that I understand about democracy."
Leeds Conservative leader Andrew Carter said the paper was 'another political shot in the foot' for the Labour administration. He said that boundary changes should not be dealt with 'in the middle of a council year' and accused Labour of attempting to create another committee chairperson's position for the party.
Liberal Democrat leader Stewart Golton said he was concerned about the principle of the move, that there should be a city-wide review of all area committee boundaries - not just one committee - and that the move could alienate residents from local politics.
Morley Borough Independent councillor Tom Leadley added:
"I've looked at this, and I reckon nowt to it either. I can't see how the proposal is sensible. The boundary between Weetwood and Headingley in inperceptible. I'm unconvinced and I think this should be withdrawn."
Adel and Wharfedale Conservative councillor Les Carter also claimed that moving Weetwood into the outer north west committee would create a 'monster' committee as Adel and Wharfedale, Otley and Yeadon, Horsforth and Guiseley and Rawdon wards already formed part of the committee.
Labour's Peter Gruen, who brought the paper before the meeting, acknowledged that there needed to be better consultation, but said that the statistics showed that Weetwood ward had more in common with the more rural wards of the outer north west. He said:
"It's absolutely right that we listen to what people have to say - but the statistical evidence very clearly supports a boundary move. This is an anomoly that we have a democratic duty to address."
Gruen said that the current inner north west area was larger in terms of population than any other area committee and that the move would bring it more in line with other committees.
Committee chairman and council leader Keith Wakefield agreed to withdraw the paper to allow more time for consultation.
After the meeting, Headingley Liberal Democrat councillor Jamie Matthews told the Guardian:
"This is a short-term vistory for local residents and ward members. It was exposed an blatant politics today. The way we have always tried to fo things in Leeds has been by consultung local residents and that wasn't done in a paper that was rushed through."The Inner North West Committee has a history of working well with local people. Participation from local residents is very strong and we shouldn't be trying to break that up. I would urge local residents to make their feelings known when the council starts its consultation."
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