Councillors call for meetings shake-up; Members: We don't want to 'look foolish'.

Byline: LIAM MURPHY 

COUNCILLORS in Wirral last night said they wanted changes to the way large public meetings are held to stop them looking foolish.

Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee said the changes were necessary after a meeting last week to discuss school closures descended into chaos.

The special committee had been called to examine proposals to replace three Birkenhead schools with two new academies.

A large number of parents, pupils and staff supporting Ridgeway High - one of the schools threatened with closure if the plans go ahead - had attended the meeting to support the school.

That meeting ended in chaotic scenes as Labour and Lib-Dems claimed the vote on their motion had been wrongly counted. Both motions had called on the cabinet to look again at the proposals and to shut three schools in Birkenhead and create two academies but the Tory one had insisted Ridgeway remain open.

Last night Labour councillor Tony Smith had put forward a motion saying the committee did not accept the minutes of that meeting as accurate, and calling on the ruling cabinet to consider both theirs and the Conservative motion "with equal weight".

Cllr Smith agreed to withdraw this after being reassured the cabinet will receive full minutes of the meeting - including the two opposing motions.

However, the committee members were agreed that the outcome of the meeting had been unsatisfactory.

Chair Sheila Clarke said members "should never be put in that position again" and said future meetings should clearly separate the committee and members of the public and give the chair a microphone.

Lib-Dem councillor Tom Harney was also critical of the arrangements for the meeting, which had been held the council chamber - usually reserved for full meetings of the council.

He said the room should be better set up, and with large numbers of the public at such meetings "we should not make fools of ourselves".

He said: "We're in charge of the children's education and it makes us look as if we're incapable of organising ourselves."

CAPTION(S):

Cllr Tom Harney