New council structure

Cabinet members decided on Monday to support plans set out by Mr Stevens which, if approved, would be the first major change since Rother adopted the leader and cabinet system in 2001.

Mr Stevens proposes to merge the two overview and scrutiny committees and make greater use of working parties who may call on the expertise of non - elected members, including youth and ethnic minority representatives.

The move comes after non-executive members had voiced concerns about being left out of the decision making process and being asked only to 'rubber stamp' decisions in full council.

Mr Stevens said: "I think the best way in which non-executive members can involve themselves in the development of policy has been through these working parties and the recent waste management working group has shown the positive impact these can have."

The proposals will be examined by the scrutiny committees before coming back to cabinet on October 2.

The new 20 member committee could also report to cabinet in exceptional circumstances, allow political group leaders to change membership of the working parties and "call in" cabinet decisions they felt to be outside budget and policy framework.

Cllr Deirdre Williams supported the idea in principal but was concerned about non-elected members sitting on working parties.

She said: "If you had non-elected members there, where would it end?"

Non - cabinet member Cllr David Vereker added: "I'm not at all convinced by this idea that one large scrutiny committee with working parties is the way forward. I'm afraid it would be a bit of a talking shop."

Rother leader Cllr Graham Gubby said: "I'm quite surprised with the working groups going so well there is such concern and reluctance without the chance of it (the proposal) going through the scrutiny process yet."