CONTROVERSIAL scrutiny committees and the council's new system of Government have been lambasted by Liberal Democrat leader Barbara Mawer.

The Grappenhall and Thelwall councillor particularly took exception to comments made when she was unable to attend a September 23 watchdog meeting.

She accused committee chairman Clr John Morris of indulging in "Lib-Dem bashing."

Clr Mawer was furious over the Labour Party's concern, noted in council minutes, over the lack of a Lib Dem presence and launched a stinging attack on council reforms, at Monday's Full Council meeting.

"This incident does raise wider issues about the arrangements for meetings under the new system. Rather than having fewer meetings we seem to be having more," Clr Mawer told Warrington Council.

Meetings were being rescheduled at short notice and without notifying opposition councillors, it was claimed.

The timetable was also "creeping earlier into the day", according to Clr Mawer, preventing council members with full-time jobs from attending.

The veteran councillor also asked why opposition politicians should not be chairing scrutiny committees - when the political decisions were made by the Labour-dominated authority.

The all-powerful scrutiny bodies, which oversee all aspects of Town Hall affairs, were introduced this summer as part of radical council reorganisation.

Labour's Clr John Morris admitted it was important for councillors of all political persuasions to work together to ensure the scrutiny system was viable.

But he added: "It is difficult for anyone to be appointed chairman of that committee if they are not there."

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