Madam,

I have known the ‘Great Eight’ to be referred to by a councillor during a full Ceredigion County Council meeting as the ‘Chosen Few’, which of course is a statement of fact. Chosen by the leader using unknown criteria.

In letters, we learn that the Cabinet "makes the majority of decisions" (‘Meetings of Cabinet Great Eight should be broadcast). More importantly they can ignore recommendations from their scrutiny committees. Given that a scrutiny committee has generally no more than 20 members, in any one decision 14 councillors play no part at all.

We can be certain that even when a decision of very high importance to communities has been subject to public meetings, and public consultation, the populations of 14 wards will have effectively dumb councillors representing them.

This particular democratic deficit could be significantly reduced by an amendment to the council constitution to the effect that, where an issue has been subjected to public consultation, the final decision must be taken by full council. In this way most decisions which substantially affect people’s lives would be democratically decided.

I would fully support the broadcasting of these, final-decision, full council meetings. The electorate could then see their councillors in action and judge their performance for themselves.

Yours etc,

Bill Parker, Llanfair Clydogau.

Have your say on the local issues affecting you - email [email protected] or join in the conversation on our Facebook page