THE ruling Conservative party will continue to select a chairman for the High Wycombe Town Committee, a Marlow-based council chief says.

Cllr Richard Scott, Leader of Wycombe District Council, said the Tories will still appoint the chairman of the committee – after once again stating his belief it does not need replacing by a High Wycombe Town Council.

Princes Risborough Cllr Gary Hall likened the council supremo to Vladimir Putin for continuing to impose a Tory chairman upon the committee, on which the Conservatives are the minority.

He asked when would the Tories allow members who are elected in High Wycombe to "stand up for their town" and appoint their own chairman.

Cllr Scott, ward member for Marlow South East, replied: “The [council’s various] committees are decided by the ruling party, and we will continue with that and appoint an excellent chairman.

“We are the minority on the High Wycombe Town Committee but it works exceedingly well and serves its residents well.

“The proposals that come through from the committee are accepted by this council, unless it’s due to legislative matters which we must follow.”

Cllr Trevor Snaith once again urged the leader to set-up a High Wycombe town council at Monday night’s Full Council meeting.

Or he said Cllr Scott could ‘reduce the tax burden on residents in his beloved Marlow if he replaced Marlow Town Council with a toothless town committee’.

But WDC’s leader said Cllr Snaith’s comparison made between the political set-ups in the two towns were “meaningless” and “not relevant”.

Cllr Scott said Marlow Town Council was established in 1974 when High Wycombe declined the chance to do the same.

He added: “It’s the cost and quality of service that is most important to residents, not who makes the decisions.

“I have still not seen a compelling case for a Wycombe Town Council. I don’t see the benefit of scrapping the committee – it is well represented and all its propositions have been endorsed by this council.”

The Wycombe Town Committee does not have any executive powers.