THE Campaign for Local Democracy in Mid Devon was formed at the beginning of April this year, as campaigns for election to Mid Devon District Council were beginning.

The campaign arose from increasing concerns amongst the Mid Devon electorate about the lack of involvement of many district councillors in decision making and the ability of the Cabinet to ignore the wishes of large numbers of councillors.

In particular, the decision of three members of the Cabinet to proceed with the sale to a private purchaser of the historic council building and council chamber in Crediton, against the expressed wishes of the majority of the 42 councillors, created uproar in the Crediton area.

This resonated with concerns felt elsewhere in the district and led to the formation of the campaign group at a meeting in Tiverton.

With the all-up election pending, the group decided to write to all candidates advising them of the group wish to see a more open and democratic system introduced and asking for their support.

The Green and Lib Dem candidates indicated their support, as did a number of Independent candidates.

The election resulted in the Conservative group losing overall control and subsequently deciding not to take part in a balanced Cabinet.

Whatever the outcome of the elections, the campaign group also decided that it would allow the new council time to settle in before expecting to hear whether it was willing to introduce the necessary changes to governance.

As it is now two months since the election of the new council, leading members of the group have now written to the Council Leader, Cllr Bob Deed, on behalf of the campaign group asking what consideration the council is giving to the need for these reforms.

In the letter, Mid Devon Alderman David Nation says that if the necessary reforms are not to be implemented, the group would wish to make an early start on seeking the support of the Mid Devon electorate for them.

He clearly has in mind a public petition to require the council to hold a referendum on switching from the present Cabinet structure to the previous Committee structure, where more councillors are involved in decision making and the decisions of full council are supreme.

Ald. Nation said: “We are hopeful that the new council will share the group’s concerns as so many of those now in control were sympathetic before the elections.

“If the council cannot voluntarily agree the required changes, we are ready to canvass public support to force it to reform.”