BACK-BENCHERS on the county and district councils fear democracy has gone out of the window with the introduction of the new cabinet style of government.

Both Buckinghamshire County Council and Wycombe District Council met last week and at both meetings members from all parties spoke out.

At Wycombe, the Labour group leader, Ted Collins, said members from all groups had told him they felt they were being marginalised when it came to making decisions.

He asked council leader Roger Colomb to promise that major changes would be fully debated.

Independent member Malcolm Blanksby said councillors had been promised interesting jobs but two months on he felt disengaged.

He said: "I feel I am not being informed of what is happening and am no longer involved. What is this clear and interesting role?"

At County Hall in Aylesbury on Thursday, Lib Dem group leader Pam Crawford called the cabinet meetings a charade.

She said the cabinet should stop holding private sessions before meetings, so that there was a proper discussion in public where people could hear what the cabinet members actually thought.

She said: "The only discussion in cabinet that has come alive so far was one about foot and mouth. Quite frankly, the rest tend to send you to sleep."

Another long time county councillor Crispian Graves said he lamented the formation of cabinet government, adding: "The role of the back-bencher has been very much reduced."

Buckinghamshire County Council went over to cabinet government, where eight councillors make most decisions, last November. Back-benchers concentrate on problems in their wards and have advisory and scrutiny roles on non-decision making committees and panels. Wycombe District Council has a similar system.

Wycombe District Council leader Roger Colomb gave his members a warning that if they wanted interesting jobs they would have to take their opportunities.

He said: "Decision-making rests with the cabinet. But all members have an opportunity to take part in setting the overall strategies and policies within which the cabinet must work."