Conservatives Turn Down Public Debate (Surrey Heath Liberal Democrats

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Conservatives Turn Down Public Debate

April 17, 2007 12:00 AM

Tories veto Local Election Question Time at Surrey Heath House

Liberal Democrats have accused Surrey Heath Conservatives of being afraid to defend their dismal record of running the Borough Council. The Conservatives failed to support a Lib Dem proposal for a 'Question Time' style meeting in the run-up to the May council elections.

Lib Dems wanted voters to be given a chance to quiz leaders of the council's three political groups - Lib Dem, Conservative and Labour - as they sat on the same platform.

But the council's Tory-controlled cabinet threw out the Lib Dems' request to provide a hall for the debate at no cost to council taxpayers. They were advised in a report by Chief Executive Barry Catchpole that it would be impossible to provide a council venue free of charge.

"An internal charge would occur for both the use of premises and staffing involved," he said.

Mr Catchpole also warned that the event would also be deemed an election expense which would have to be shared equally between the three group leaders.

The decision not to press ahead with the meeting was attacked by Cllr David Whitcroft, leader of the Council's Lib Dem group. He dismissed the Tories' arguments as rubbish and added: "It is pretty clear the Conservatives do not want to defend their dismal record in Surrey Heath at a public forum."

Cllr Whitcroft believed the debate would have helped boost what is a traditionally low turn-out at the council elections.

First printed in: Surrey Hants Star