Vital decisions affecting Hereford city are being made without local councillors being involved in the decision-making process.
And issues like Herefordshire Council’s proposed £17 million expenditure on new offices are being first featured in the Journal, claimed a leading councillor this week.
“Yet again we find an important decision about council expenditure regarding new offices announced in the press as a fait accompli”, said Herefordshire Councillor Marcelle Lloyd-Hayes.
“I find it increasingly difficult to represent the people who voted for me when decisions involving huge expenditure are announced in the press before those of us representing the public are informed. I wonder if the public is aware that the Cabinet system allows for vital decisions to be made which affect the whole of the city, with no local councillors being consulted or included as part of the decision making process.”
The council accommodation issue had clearly been in the pipeline for sometime, but no open discussions had taken place, or any preferred options discussed by anybody other than Herefordshire Council Cabinet.
Information had not been circulated to councillors representing the city about plans to spend £17million on a new HQ, nor on possible options on location, she said.
“I agree with the view of the Hereford Journal that this sort of expenditure in the present credit crunch will raise many questions with the public.
The dictatorial manner adopted by this administration leaves local councillors impotent when information is withheld from them. We are prevented from carrying out our public role when we are excluded from the decision making process,” Councillor Lloyd Hayes said.
“I have, on more than one occasion, asked whether Plough Lane was to be the preferred venue.
“Council Leader, Councillor Roger Phillips, steadfastly refused to give a simple yes or no answer,” she said.
“A consultants’ report should have been forwarded to all councillors, not just Cabinet.
“The Hereford Journal reports there were options for alternative locations; clearly these options should have been brought to full Council for open debate, a process of which this administration is fearful,” said Councillor Lloyd-Hayes. “Interestingly, when this year’s council tax was set, there was no mention of spending £17million. This could not have been an oversight as I understand the report was concluded in March.”
If a debate had taken place, the merits of the NHS, police and council on one site on council-owned land at the Cattle Market could have been discussed. Each of these organisations has assets which could be realised to provide funding for this sensible option.Is this plan now abandoned?
“Discussion must remain fully transparent and in the public domain, as more questions than answers have been raised.
“I have campaigned for transparency and accountability, and earned a reputation as a maverick and a nuisance to the administration, but if that is what it takes to carry out my public duty, so be it”, she said.
