Was council meeting walkout ‘hot air’ or ‘principled stand’?

Derby City Council's cabinet moved forward a major shake-up at a meeting yesterday. Inset below, council leader Nadine Peatfield and Tory leader Steve Hassall

- By NIGEL SLATER

THE end of Derby City Council has moved closer following a controversial meeting which sparked a mass walkout.

Councillors of Derby’s leading Labour cabinet voted to submit its preferred plan for local government reorganisation (LGR) yesterday.

The government hopes LGR will simplify local government, save money and enhance public services.

For this to happen, councils are set to be restructured.

Talks have been held this year to plan how this can be done in Derby and Derbyshire. But the Government will make the final decision.

But Thursday's meeting was met with huge controversy.

The city’s Conservative, Reform and Independent councillors believe it should not have gone ahead.

They feel all Derby councillors should have the final vote on how LGR will look and not just the Labour cabinet.

During a full council debate a fortnight ago, both Conservative and Independent groups walked out in protest against the “democratically unfair” process.