Who Scrutinises the Scrutineers?

It reminded me of the final episode of "Yes, Minister" - the one where the local councillors wanted to sell off the local art gallery to subsidise the football club, much to Sir Humphrey's disgust.

Now I wasn't able to get there myself, but by all accounts last night's meeting of Bedford Borough Council's "Scrutiny" Committee was a farce worthy of scripting by Ray Cooney and being put on stage at the Whitehall Theatre.

Lib Dem Councillors apparently ignoring the evidence being presented most eloquently by Bedford's erstwhile Labour Member of Parliament, Patrick Hall, amongst others. "Covering their ears whilst humming 'Jerusalem'" is one description that has already been published on Facebook. The one Independent Councillor allegedly asleep and then voting with the Lib Dems.

How can Executive Decisions made by a Lib Dem Mayor and Cabinet be properly scrutinised if the Chairman of the Scrutiny Committee is a member of the same political party and probably therefore on a three line whip? It just makes a travesty of the whole system.

You might well ask, what is all this about? Well, if it wasn't obvious, its all about Saving Our Civic - stopping Mayor Hodgson from turning Bedford's Civic Theatre into office and "one-stop-shop" space for the Council.

My God, if this is what life is like under a Lib Dem controlled council, what on earth would life be like under a Lib Dem government?