Council’s RHE watchdog is all Labour

A NEW group designed to keep a closer eye on 10 companies owned or part-owned by Nottingham City Council met for the first time on Tuesday.

However, all members are Labour councillors and all declared an interest as being on the board, or a shareholder, of a councilowned company.

The chairman of the new committee is council leader David Mellen, who is also on the board of property development company Blueprint. Vice-chairman Councillor Sally Longford, deputy leader of the council, is on the board of heating and electricity provider Enviroenergy.

The three other senior councillors are on boards of – or nominated shareholders of – electric and gas company Robin Hood Energy, road construction firm Thomas Bow and housing provider Nottingham City Homes.

Opposition groups Nottingham Independents and the Conservatives both asked to be represented but were asked to sit at the back of the room, and were not allowed to speak

The press were allowed at the meeting but were warned that “commercially sensitive” items would be discussed in private at future meetings.

Tory leader Councillor Andrew Rule said: “This just amounts to Labour councillors marking their own homework.”

The committee is expected to meet again in March.