Sir, The Vale Conservative cabinet refused to answer any of the questions at the full council meeting on 10 December. Some Botley residents had driven to Wantage especially to hear the cabinet’s answers to questions relating directly to Botley.

They were very annoyed and disgruntled. Is this the end of democracy in the Vale? The 15 questions from the Lib Dem Group had been agreed by the head of legal and democratic Services 12 days before the meeting, and printed in the agenda papers. The four questions relating to Botley were on the sale of land to Doric for the redevelopment of West Way, air quality and free wi-fi in Botley, and the council’s response when presented with a petition.

The questions, including four relating to the Vale’s Local Plan, were being asked because information had otherwise been unavailable. The Lib Dem councillors were flabbergasted and annoyed when we were told that there would be no answers to any of the questions printed in the agenda. Also there would be no supplementary questions ‘as these were often trick questions’! So our constituents were denied hearing any answers to the questions posed by their councillors. The Lib Dem councillors were also denied the opportunity to ask any supplementary questions at the meeting. Written answers will eventually be made available.

Later in the meeting there was a tied vote on the amendment to a motion proposed by the Lib Dems. This was only won by the Conservatives with the help of the Chairman’s casting vote. There was a full turnout by the Lib Dems. However, five Conservative councillors were not present and one had recently been dismissed for not attending any Vale meetings for the last six months. With so many absent, have the Vale Conservatives given up already?

Dr Dudley Hoddinott Liberal Democrat District Councillor for Cumnor and Appleton