Secrecy row at Chesterfield Council Meeting

In a tense exchange in the Chesterfield Council budget meeting on Thursday March 1st, Cllr Ray Russell, the Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader, unsuccessfully asked several times that the recent report on the changes to Parking Charge tariffs, brought forward only in private session last week, should be put before the Chesterfield Cabinet again - but this time in the public session.

Cllr Russell said: "When the Liberal Democrats were in power parking charge reports came before Cabinet in the public session, the most recent being in July 2010. This enabled the press, the public and non-executive Councillors to see the reports, and to scrutinize both the charges and related conditions properly, enabling wider comment to be made before final decisions were taken. Cllr Russell made clear that the Liberal Democrats were very disappointed that the new Labour Council had put them forward to the Cabinet in private session which the press and public cannot attend.

He alleged that this removed transparency and prevented proper scrutiny on a matter of public interest. The new parking charges are scheduled to be introduced on April 1st. 2012 and, it is claimed, whatever the new rates or the conditions, there will be no opportunity to challenge or adjust these.

Contact : Ray Russell (01246) -274235

Press: Keith Morgan (01246) - 238918