Councillors Call For Scrutiny On School Buses And Highway Funding Decisions

Wrexham Independent Group on Wrexham council have called in two decisions taken at the last Executive Board on the 14^th May together with raising concerns on the publication of minutes of the Executive Board.

Leader of Wrexham Independent Group Councillor David A Bithell said that members of his group had called in two decisions taken at the Executive Board on the 14^th May. One of which is to cut funding to 15 fare paying school buses without consideration for alternative transport provision or hazardous routes which many say will leave school children stranded at bus stops from September. The other call in is following concerns raised by many members across all political groupings to move funding away from street scene to a central pot which has been successful in service delivery over a number of years.

Cllr Bithell said the minutes of the Executive Board held on 14^th May meeting were published in secret without member’s knowledge and only by accident last Wednesday found out the minutes had been published on the internet. Members only have five days from the publication of these minutes under the agreed procedure to call in decisions.

Cllr Bithell said: “I have raised my concerns on the process both to the Chief legal officer and the Chief Executive and I am still awaiting a reply.”

He added: “Members have every right to call in decisions to scrutinise the Lead Members and challenge the decisions of the ruling Labour/Democratic Independent Coalition.”