THE concerns of Cllr Colin Bungey about elected members being kept in the dark in Christchurch are not new in a general sense.

Tony Blair’s government introduced cabinet-style decision making in councils to aid efficiency, transparency and accountability.

But critics say it puts too much power in too few hands leaving most councillors with not much to do and little idea of what’s going on.

One might add it breeds a certain attitude in the elite.

Witness the batting away by Dorset’s cabinet of criticism from audit and scrutiny last week over the school meals debacle.

There’s a fine line between the confident execution of power and the arrogance of power.