OPPOSITION voices at Teignbridge Council are being ‘eroded and stifled,’ it has been claimed.

At its annual meeting, the authority agreed on the membership of its various committees as well as nominating the councillors to chair them.

Some councillors called for changes to the proportion of members from each political group on the committees, and there was an unsuccessful move to change the size of the planning and licensing committees to make it easier to get the proportions right.

Council leader Richard Keeling (Lib Dem, Chudleigh) said it was important for councillors of all parties to cooperate.

‘Our residents are watching,’ he said.

‘They expect councillors to work together for the betterment of our community, and I hope we can do that.’

But Cllr Andrew McGregor (Ind, Bishopsteignton) replied: ‘It is very difficult for opposing groups to cooperate when we feel that we are constantly having our representation and our voices eroded and stifled.’

Members voted for a structure in which the Lib Dem group will have 28 of the 52 available seats on the council’s committees. The Conservatives will have 12, as will the independent group.

Teignbridge Council has 25 Lib Dems, with 10 Conservatives, 10 Independents, one non-aligned independent and one Reform UK councillor.