Editor Steve Cohen recently criticised Wycombe district councillors for the pantomime way in which they conducted their meetings. He was particularly critical of the ‘petty spats’ between the Tories and Lib Dems, supposedly national coalition partners. This week, Lib Dem Booker & Cressex councillor Simon Parker takes the chair to give his own view

IN his recent despatch from the Editor's chair, Steve Cohen lamented the conduct of councillors at recent meetings and appealed for them “not to turn our council chamber into a panto theatre”.

As a relatively new member of the council, I confess I share some of his misgivings.

Robust discussion and debate is at the heart of our democratic system, but too often this degenerates into mere gainsaying, name calling, and showboating, thus devaluing the system.

For opposition groups to attack policies regardless of their merits is unhelpful, and given the arithmetic of our council, ultimately futile, but if the ruling group refuse to engage, and deal contemptuously with opposition parties, a destructive cycle is allowed to develop. The opposition may then come to see their role as little more than mischief making.

All councillors should remind themselves that their responsibility is first and foremost to the voters of their wards and the wider district, whose interests are not best served by constant antagonism. The opposition should not hesitate to scrutinise, and where necessary criticise council policy, but must also be prepared to constructively engage in order to safeguard and improve the services delivered to our electorate.

Do displays of aggression and petulance indicate strength, or might they be used as a cloak for a lack of command of one’s brief or for uncertain principles? In fact much council business involves matters of management rather than huge ideological divides and councillors should not see confrontation as an obligation.

So how about Steve Cohen’s assertion that party politics has no place at council level? Here unsurprisingly we part company. Often an issue such as the stadium or swimming pool requires a cohesive grouping around which opinion can coalesce. In these cases it initially took a focused campaign led by the Liberal Democrats to galvanise support which mirrored one so capably managed in the community as a whole.

How would a council of 60 independents operate? With 60 different opinions on every issue in all probability. The party system has the virtue of structure and discipline developed over time. Internal party pressure should also ensure that individual councillors do not neglect their constituents, or their council duties. Continued absence from meetings by councillors, particularly those in senior positions, should be dealt with by firm party leadership.

I would contend that the party system works less effectively than it might due to the method by which we are elected. Under first past the post, far too many seats are seen as safe. Accordingly the disgraceful system exists whereby members are returned unelected, and in over half the seats Labour supporters are unable to vote for their party.

A proportional system would not only encourage greater voter participation, but would return a far more balanced council. Skewed majorities such as those which currently exist discourage the ruling party from engagement with the opposition. Coalitions, such as the one which is dealing as effectively as possible with the nation’s ills would become more commonplace, encouraging more focus on achievement rather than division.

The local party system also provides a bridge between the voter and central government. National politicians are frequently accused of remoteness from those they serve, but local parties provide a link to our legislature. Without this link they would seem all the more inaccessible. At General Elections, whilst the electronic media may well disseminate the key national policies, local issues remain relevant, and these are best proposed by a strong local party backing up their parliamentary candidates.

In conclusion, I accept that councillors should sometimes show greater maturity and respect for each other in the heat of their discussions, but would contend that better governance would come not from scrapping the party system, but from a more equitable means of electing our councillors.

* This column is open to an equal contribution from a Tory and/or Labour representative should they wish to make it