From our Local County Councillor
February at the County Council was dominated by the full meeting of Council on
15 February, with the main agenda item being the Budget for 2011/12 and
Integrated Plan for the coming 5 years. What a meeting! I arrived at Shire Hall
at 08.40am to find the access road blocked by protestors complaining about the
proposed budget cuts. Having driven around I managed to get in round the back.
The meeting started with a large number of protestors in the public gallery.
After numerous interruptions and 3 separate arrests of protestors the Council
finally managed to agree a balanced budget with the proposals reported last
month going through. It was a long and stormy meeting and I eventually got home
at 8.20pm.
In the run-up to the full Council meeting I also attended 3 separate scrutiny committees to examine budget proposals in greater detail - the Environment and Sustainability Scrutiny Committee, the Safer and Stronger Communities Scrutiny Committee and the Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee. I also attended 3 informal cabinet meetings.
Cllr Jill Tuck has announced that, for personal reasons, she will not be seeking re -election as Leader of the Conservative Group and therefore Leader of the Council. The Conservative Group will elect a new Leader, probably in April.