A RECENT article in the Daily Telegraph strongly urged the Tory Government to scrap the local council cabinet system. It stressed “for far too long, town hall leaders have been shielded from proper public scrutiny by the present structures of governance in which council chiefs grandly preside over ‘cabinets’ that are heavily reliant on powerful and highly paid full-time officers”.

It went on to describe the system as anti-democratic, with decisions being taken behind closed doors by a small number of councillors, and the local press struggling to find out what is going on.

I raise this issue after the appalling decision on smallholdings by the seven members of Herefordshire Council’s cabinet.

They decided to undertake a structured sale of the county’s entire, highly valued smallholdings estate, totally ignoring appropriate alternative options from the overview and scrutiny committee.

This involved the retention of a reduced estate to maintain a way of offering a route into farming for our many well-qualified and enthusiastic young people who are keen to enter the agricultural industry. Without this option, the only people able to fulfil their ambitions will be those who do so as a result of inheritance.

This way forward had the full support of opposition members, together with a number of Conservative councillors. Notable among others who expressed their deep concern over this sale have been the Bishop of Hereford and many other distinguished local figures.

It is also extremely alarming that a costly, taxpayer-funded report, prepared by property consultants Fisher German on this issue, was not available to elected members. I can only assume that their views were similar to those of the scrutiny committee.

The cabinet emphasised that the receipts realised could be used to repay council debt, at present hovering around £178 million, partly brought about by severe mismanagement during the last decade.

I am firmly convinced that, had this matter gone before the full council of 52 members, instead of merely the seven members of the cabinet, the scrutiny recommendations would have been approved, and this is why the cabinet system is crying out for urgent review so that openness and democracy can be returned to local government.

CLL BOB MATTHEWS Credenhill Ward, Leader, Herefordshire Council Independents