Tories sack Lib Dem Vice-Chair for highlighting lack of disabled access to County Council buildings

12.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 4th May 2004

County Councillor Hazel Watson

The SCC Lib Dem group's deputy leader Hazel Watson recently highlighted the inadequacy of access provision for disabled people to Surrey County Council buildings (see "Lib Dems get disabled access high on agenda", March 23rd 2004). The Tory administration running the County Council seem to be unhappy with being criticised for not taking action on this issue. Despite their claim to be an "Exemplar of Modern Democracy", they have removed Mrs Watson from her position as Vice-Chair of the relevant SCC Select Committee.

Janet Maines, leader of the SCC Lib Dem group, said: "We were amazed when the Conservatives suddenly refused to allow Mrs Watson to continue as Vice-Chairman of the Corporate Management Select Committee. She has worked very hard on this committee to develop Surrey County Council's 'Key Worker' housing scheme, as well as scrutinising the way the County Council uses its resources."

She added: "It beggars belief that the SCC Conservative group can claim to be democratic at all. They appear to have removed Mrs Watson as Vice-Chairman just for highlighting this issue. Perhaps they were not comfortable with Mrs Watson's scrutiny of the way they run the County Council."

Related Link:

"Lib Dems get disabled access high on agenda" - 23rd March 2004