WIRRAL council leaders have been branded undemocratic after “excluding” Conservative members from public meetings over plans to axe libraries.
West Wirral Conservative Parliamentary candidate Esther McVey also claimed the plan to hold four meetings serving 11 different areas on the borough will make it difficult for people to attend a meeting.
The local authority has said it faces mounting bills for a backlog of repairs on libraries, leisure centres and museums and has vowed to make “tough decisions”.
The proposals are for at least a dozen libraries to be closed, including Birkenhead Central Library’s historic building, and its functions moved to a new centre at the Europa Pools site.
Also under threat are Pacific Road Theatre, along with the Transport Museum there and Wirral library at Birkenhead Town Hall, and among the leisure centres facing closure are Woodchurch, Guinea Gap and Grange Road West.
But Ms McVey believes meetings to discuss the plans with the public should be chaired by local councillors and not by the council leader, and the current arrangement is undemocratic, she argues.
Last night, she told the Daily Post: “The council is now trying to exclude Conservative councillors in Conservative areas from hosting or being a part of the forums other than being there as members of the audience – this is an absolute outrage and possibly against the constitution.”
She highlights article 10.2 in the council’s own constitution, passed just last month, that states these meetings should be made up of “Ward councillors of the respective wards.”
However, deputy council leader Simon Holbrook has dismissed the idea that the council is being undemocratic.
He said: “First of all, Esther McVey is not a councillor and will have the same right as any other member of the public to express her views.
“Secondly, these are consultative meetings and not formal meetings of the area forums, so there is not a constitution issue here.
“I think what Steve Foulkes is trying to do here is to show leadership and he will be there, as I will, to listen and hear what people have to say. There’s nothing untoward in that.
“We’re not far from making a final decision but we do need to make sure that everyone has had time to express their views.
“Also, if anyone is not able to get to their area meeting, they are free to go along to any of the four meetings and raise their point.”
But Jeff Green, leader of the Conservative group, however called the entire exercise “outrageous”.
He said: “This decision was taken late in December and the consultation period arranged over Christmas.”
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