Tory backbenchers defy leadership over draconian measures

11.05.16am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 21st Aug 2007

In a dramatic turn of events at last night's meeting of the Governance & Audit Committee, Tory backbenchers joined forces with the Liberal Democrats to throw out draconian proposals from Tory leader Graham Jones.

The proposals would have limited Member questions to the Executive to just 5 per political Group, as well as preventing the two planning committees being able to reference planning applications up to full council for deciding. Both of these proposals were thrown out, but the decision to move member questions to the end of Executive meetings was passed meaning members of the public in asking their Ward members to put such questions must now wait until late into the evening for those questions to be put.

Liberal Democrat leader Jeff Brooks welcomed the move, commenting:

"I am delighted that Graham Jones' own backbenchers have seen sense over their leader's unnecessarily hard-line ideas which would have further stifled democracy in West Berkshire. I am sure he is embarrassed, having been defied by his own members, but I am pleased that the right outcome was achieved and I am grateful to them for acting responsibly and in the public's best interests - something Mr Jones might want to bear in mind in the future".