By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Cheltenham council chiefs have been blasted for being “undemocratic” in giving opposition councillors “unrealistically” short notice to consider a report on their proposals for devolution.
Councillors debated Cheltenham Borough Council’s proposal that two unitary councils should be formed in Gloucestershire as part of the Government’s reorganisation of local authorities.
Their plan proposes one authority in the west on the current footprint of Gloucester City, Stroud District and Forest of Dean Councils and another in the east which includes the boroughs of Cheltenham and Tewkesbury as well as the Cotswold district.
Gloucestershire County Council would be dissolved, and the services currently delivered by them would be divided across the two new councils.
But opposition councillors raised concerns that they had little time to consider the 92-page report.
Green Party deputy group leader Jan Foster (Prestbury) described the move as undemocratic.
“It was unrealistic to send out a paper, 92 pages long, on a Friday afternoon and expect us to really digest it by Monday,” she told the meeting at the Municipal Offices on March 17.
“I take on board fully councillor [Rowena] Hay’s wish to bring it to the full council. And I thank her for that.
“But I feel the short notice for us to read it could actually be described as undemocratic, regardless of what other councils do.”
Councillor David Willingham (LD, St Peter’s) said what was really undemocratic was the decision of Gloucestershire County Council’s leadership to try and get the elections postponed.
“Unfortunately, the Government wasn’t buying it,” he said.
“That’s what was really undemocratic in this. The fact [the white paper on English Devolution] came forward not long before Christmas and gave people three months isn’t great for democracy either, but we are where we are.”
Council leader Rowena Hay (LD, Oakley) said she was disappointed the Greens would not support it. But also apologised for the short notice the councillors had to read the report.
“I am sorry that it only came to you on Friday night,” she said. “I sat in a car on Friday morning at 9 o’clock, freezing cold because there was no wi-fi in the hotel to sign that off.
“I was looking at it at 9 o’clock at night, like the officers, so I don’t believe I have not been democratic.
“This is not that we haven’t been democratic in this process.
“Actually, we’ve had a number of conversations about this, you have been briefed. This is only an interim report.”