MY old friend and former colleague Alderman Douglas Eyre can rest assured that I and all the members of the council listen to the public, who elected us less than two years ago and who showed such overwhelming confidence in our sound financial management of the council.

However, his statement that Adrian Fudge “ doesn’t cost the council a penny” is woefully inaccurate. Although we do not keep timesheets, it is clear that a considerable amount of the council’s staff resource has been tied up in addressing and responding to the numerous points he has raised and continues to raise.

A valuable resource which arguably could have been better employed in delivering services directly to the residents of Bournemouth.

To give just one example, his objection to the 2013/14 Statement of Accounts cost the taxpayers of Bournemouth over £12k with our External Auditors, when his objection was found to be baseless.

We do have robust, effective and fearless Overview & Scrutiny panels, who look in detail at every decision made by the Cabinet, often resulting in a change to the decision.

Mr Eyre implies it isn’t good to have so little cross-party opposition. What would he like us to do? Run another election in the unlikely case that the residents of Bournemouth have changed their minds in the past 18 months and decided that the Liberal Democrats would do a better job?

Personally, I don’t pretend to know all the answers – I attend as many public meetings as I can and listen carefully to the views of everyone I meet, as do all my colleagues.

COUNCILLOR ANNE FILER

Cabinet Member - Corporate Efficiency, Bournemouth Town Hall

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