Heavily-criticised plans to shake up the way millions of pounds worth of spending on Hertfordshire’s roads is overseen, have been voted through by the county’s ruling administration.

The Conservative cabinet at Hertfordshire County Council agreed proposals to scrap local scrutiny committees, called Highway Joint Member Panels, and replace them with individual briefings for county councillors.

However due to the clamour from opposition and even Conservative politicians complaining the changes would gift more power to bureaucrats, senior Hertfordshire councillors have promised the new Highways Liaison Meetings will open to the public.

At a cabinet meeting yesterday Stuart Pile, the member for highways and transport, said he was keen to see the new system rolled out across Hertfordshire.

He said: “It is proposed that highways liaison meetings should be open to all members at all levels.
“These meetings would also be open to the press and public.

“This hasn’t been universally welcomed and I can understand this, but I am determined that these meetings should be open and fully recorded.

“This is not decision making behind closed doors, nor is it denying accountability.”

Under the old system joint member panels were held in areas such as Watford every two months and gave local politicians the opportunity to grill highways bosses on forthcoming road works and spending projects.

The meetings were open to the public and could received petitions from residents about issues in their area.

Under the new system individual county councillors will have two meetings a year with highways bosses about roads projects in their division.

In a report to the cabinet officers said of the new liaison meetings would be open to the public, but did not specify how residents would be notified of their location or time.

On the format of the meetings the report added: “It will not be practical to go into detailed discussions on any items. A detailed question and answer session is not favoured.” 

The new system has met strong opposition from councillors across the county who fear it will lead to "turning the clock back" on local democracy.

Politicians also expressed concerns that instead of meetings where highways bosses where held to account the new meetings would be briefings where councillors were only told of decisions in their area after they had been made.

Senior councillors in Hertfordshire’s Conservative administration have defended the reforms, arguing they will be more democratic as each councillor will be given £90,000 to spend on highways projects in their division.

Over the whole county they say this will lead to just under £7m of the highways budget coming under the direct control of local politicians.