Changes ‘would damage the democratic process’
West Sussex Liberal Democrats have accused Conservatives of ‘damaging the democratic process’ at the county council.
The accusation came after members of the governance committee called for changes to be made to the constitution – specifically the rules laying out how often subjects can be raised for debate.
The current rules allow subjects – known as notices of motion – to be re-submitted for discussion at full council meetings every six months.
Last week the committee recommended that be changed to every four years.
The proposal left Liberal Democrats ‘gobsmacked’.
Group leader Kirsty Lord said: “Sadly I’m not surprised that the West Sussex Conservatives are copying Boris Johnson’s play-book of moving the goalposts, and in the process are damaging the democratic process at the council.”
She felt the changes increased the power of the chairman to control policy and politics, while opposition members could no longer attempt to change policies that are not working.
Ms Lord felt the pandemic and cost of living crisis had shown the council ‘needs to remain nimble and react to changing circumstances for our residents’.
The recommendation will be put to a meeting of the full council on July 15.
Pete Bradbury, chairman of both the council and the committee, insisted that democracy and debate were ‘alive and well’.
He pointed out that there were only five full council meetings per year and usually no more than two motions were debated at each meeting.
Mr Bradbury said: “Debating the same few topics over and over again – which the Lib Dems want – with politicians making the same speech they made just a few months before, doesn’t seem to be healthy for democracy.”
He described how the chairman was in control of the agenda as that was the role’s main job, adding: “Before every council meeting, leaders of all the different parties are invited to meet with the chairman and officers and discuss the agenda and what topics are brought forward for debate. That hasn’t changed and is a clear sign that healthy democracy and debate is alive and well."