Political row breaks out as bid to devolve power faces cutback

The proposal, which was backed at the annual meeting of Kirklees Council, will see area committees and localities merged into a smaller number of committees.

The authority is run by Labour, with Liberal Democrat support, and in a statement both parties said it would present better value for money and free-up resources to enable elected members and council officers to tackle issues at ward and street level.

But yesterday the opposition Tory group branded the restructure a "backward step" saying it would mean that people were more cut-off from democracy and it would reduce consultation and engagement with the public.

Coun Robert Light, Conservative leader on the authority, said: "This is a backward step from a Labour-run council. So much progress had been made in devolving power to the localities and areas of Kirklees over the last decade, but now they are intent on drawing it back and reducing the influence of local people.

"Such centralisation is a backward move, and completely against the principles supported by the coalition government."

The move will save an estimated 200,000 at a time when the authority is in the process of making cutbacks. Last year the authority said it needed to cut 1,500 posts over three years because of an expected 20 per cent cut in Government grants.

Yesterday Coun Mehboob Khan, the leader of the council, said: "The plan is to change the structure to simplify it for the public and our partners by merging area committees with localities and doing away with the single ward area committees.

"The new committees would centre on towns and valleys thus providing a wider overview of an area than the single wards of the previous system. Also the present Locality meetings are held in private so by combining the two this opens them up to public scrutiny which makes for a far healthier democracy.

"Recently the Audit Commission stressed the need for Kirklees Council to engage its local people more and I believe this new model will do just that. The changes will avoid duplication and also provide savings in the region of 200,000 per year."

Coun Kath Pinnock, the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the authority said: "The new system will be driven by local members who will be able to call single issue meetings at ward level to address particular problems raised by the public in those areas such as road safety, activities for young people, and planning concerns.

"The new arrangements will allow and enable councillors to listen to local people and to take action on their behalf."

A number of other Conservative councillors also added their condemnation to the changes yesterday.

Coun Donald Firth (Holme Valley South) said: "This is attempting to mend something that isn't broken and will be unacceptable to the public.

"Area committees are for local people, not for councillors. No-one will attend larger meetings where discussions don't affect them – they are a waste of time and this is an unacceptable withdrawal of local democracy."

Coun Adrian Murphy (Kirkburton) said yesterday: "Area committees are for the benefit of local people and giving them the opportunity to attend democratic decision making forums.

"If you start asking residents to travel further afield they will not do so. This is not democratic, and it isn't for the benefit of our residents."