Sack 'Senator' Thornber

Could someone please tell us the point of the rather grandly-titled “Hampshire Senate”?

The Senate was set up by Conservative-controlled Hampshire County Council and its leader, Ken Thornber, supposedly to bring together politicians and 'leaders' from various government agencies and businesses in Hampshire.

Some people have likened it to a 'House of Lords' for Hampshire. It is an unelected talking shop with no democratic mandate - but the potential for enormous influence on decision-making. However, set up 18 months ago, all it seems to have achieved to date is introduce yet another burden for local Council Taxpayers to shoulder.

What has turned this farce into local fury are newly-uncovered plans to hire expensive PR lobbyists to promote the Senate at a cost of £100,000 a year – plus a decision to BAN the public and media from many key Senate meetings.

Last month, the County Council organised a conference for the Senate at a 4-star hotel, sending the £11,500 bill to local Council Taxpayers. Credit is due to the leaders of Portsmouth City Council and Eastleigh Borough Council who have boycotted this absurd body and are calling for it to be scrapped forthwith.