Conservative hypocrisy devalues accountability?

3.46.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 19th Apr 2005

This week the West Berkshire Council Liberal Democrats were shocked by the Conservative Party's hypocrisy and apparent devaluation of accountability, in a press release issued by their Councillors.

Mike Rodger, West Berkshire Council Executive Member for Information, commented:

"The Conservatives have attacked expenditure by the Chief Executive's office on media training for Councillors and Officers. Communication with our local residents is vitally important, and this obviously has to be achieved by a good and efficient use of the media. Or how else can our Councillors be held to be accountable?

"Every Council in the UK trains Councillors to be more accountable through the media - apparently the Conservatives do not believe in such accountability."

Cllr Rodger continued:

"Where Conservatives control local Councils they spend appalling sums on media training, at Tory-controlled Medway Council, for example, the Tories recently spent a massive £24,000 on similar training. This hypocrisy is one example of the Tories saying one thing for a few political points, and then doing another if they take control."

ENDS