Have other parties on the members bid panel

HAVING had our joint members bid rejected this year on a technicality

(it was a joint bid by the Lib Dems and Green in the Wash Common ward to support the new Scout hut), I decided to look at the way the system is being run.

It’s another example of where it should be a cross-party panel that awards bids but ends up being just the current Conservative administration.

I leave it to the public to decide if the current arrangements amount to corruption, favouritism or can be considered just normal.

Since the election, we have had three rounds of members bids. FYI, members bids allow councillors to apply for (bid for) up to £5,000 each for good causes in their wards. In 2019/2020 100 per cent and 100 per cent of bids from Conservative ward members were accepted and had some level of funding.

For the Lib Dems 80 per cent and 50 per cent were accepted and for the Greens 100 per cent and 75 per cent were accepted.

In terms of the amount awarded, the Conservative members have received £99,203.99.

Lib Dems have received £62,186.2 and the Greens have received £26,658.61. The thing that is clear when you compare a bid from a Conservative compared to a bid from a Lib Dem is that 1) it appears to be accepted much more easily, and 2) it receives a larger percentage of the amount asked for.

The net result seems to indicate a favouring of bids from a specific political party.

That’s not very surprising, given only Conservatives sit on the panel. It may be a subconscious act, but is easily addressed by involving other parties.

Members bids are about helping real people in the wards, so should not be a political tool.

I urge the Conservatives to bring in other parties to ensure fair play. ADRIAN ABBS

Liberal Democrat councillor for Wash Common ward

West Berkshire Council