World Wide WON'T!

Surrey Heath Liberal Democrats - working for you, for a better future <info@surreyheathlibdems.org.uk>

World Wide WON'T!

March 27, 2004 9:58 PM

The Register is available to all by law, like these agenda papers

Conservative Councillors on Surrey Heath's Standards Board have refused to allow the Councillor's Register of Interests to be published on the Council's website!

The Register of Interests is a list of the financial interests of all Councillors, and is by law available for inspection by any member of the public. Lib Dem Councillors had suggested that in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act and in keeping with the "Electronic Government" initiatives, this register should be made available to the public through the Council's website.

But Conservative Councillors disagreed, saying that this would mean that too many people would then be able to see it! Lib Dem Councillor Duncan Clark said: " This is a farcical position. Every residents has the right to see this register, and many are going to wonder what is in it that these Tory Councillors don't want them to see."

Rosalyn Harper, local Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson said: " All holders of public office must have a commitment to openness and transparency. This sort of action weakens local democracy by contributing to the cynicism that exists about local government. Certainly, the public is entitled to draw its own conclusions about the attitudes of Conservative politicians in Surrey Heath".

David Whitcroft, Lib Dem Council Group Leader, said: " If the Council will not publish this information on the web, we will have to explore what other avenues exist to make sure that this information is made as widely available as possible to the general public".