A REDDITCH councillor is outraged over a decision affecting the town which is to be made without Liberal Democrat input, writes Helen Clarke.

Councillor Diane Thomas believes the interview panel which will select the next borough director should consist of a Liberal Democrat representative, instead of only four Labour members and two Conservative members.

Mrs Thomas said: With such an important decision like this it is only right that all parties should be represented on the selection panel.

When I explained this to fellow councillors they did not understand and instead I was ridiculed by certain members.

What they could not grasp was that to be a fair panel, all three parties should be represented.

I believe this is a reflection of the relationship between the Tories and Labour in the town and the Liberal Democrats have dared to challenge this.

Leader of the Conservatives, Councillor Carol Gandy, said: The opposition was given two places on the panel. As leader of the Conservatives I took one and offered the other to Pat Wilson as she has about 30 years experience and has sat on countless selection panels.

We will all be sitting as individuals, not as Labour or Conservative councillors. It is not political.

At the end of the day all we want is to choose the very best person we can to run Redditch.

"If Councillor Thomas feels she was ridiculed after she expressed her opinion, that was certainly not the intention.