AUDIT COMMISSION AND HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Early day motion 777, tabled 30 January 2007 by Julian Lewis (Conservative). Signed by 13 members.

That this House deplores the threat made by the Audit Commission that Hampshire County Council, which is recognised as the second most efficient of the 37 county councils in England and Wales, despite receiving the second lowest central government grant, would lose its status as Excellent if the upstands of ramps at its pelican crossings exceed the range of 6mm to 9mm, notwithstanding the ease with which wheelchair users can negotiate significantly greater heights; notes that it would waste £250,000 of scarce County Council resources to comply with this absurd instance of micro-management; applauds the decision of Council Leader Ken Thornber to defy this bureaucratic blackmail; and accordingly calls upon the Audit Commission to disown and discontinue such costly and unnecessary interference in the future under the current overbearing and over-detailed performance target regime.

Signatures by party: Conservative 11, Liberal Democrat 2.