COUNCILLOR Sharon Carr-Brown was elected chair of the children’s services overview and scrutiny committee in what one councillor described as an ‘outrageous breach of agreed protocol’.

Cllr Carr-Brown was elected by the members of the committee at a meeting on Wednesday, July 24.

The Labour councillor was chosen by members over Conservative councillor, and former council leader, Cllr Philip Broadhead.

Prior to the vote, Cllr Carr-Brown told the committee of her experience with two autistic sons, while being an active school governor at two of her son’s schools and her work as a magistrate in the family and criminal courts.

She said: “I’m sure that all of us can appreciate what we do here as a council hugely can influence outcomes for people and whether or not they do end up in the criminal justice system and that is something that is very dear to my heart.”

Cllr Broadhead pointed members to a political agreement made by the leaders of the political groups in the council that each committee would be chaired by an opposition councillor.

(Image: BCP Council/Andy Beeson-Brackstone)

He said these positions would be shared among the opposition parties, with the children’s committee agreed to be chaired by a Conservative.

Cllr Broadhead said: “It is a bit of a surprise to see that this is a contested election because this is the agreement that we had that this would be a Conservative nominee and position here and I think it would be very disappointing if we were to break that delicate political balance.”

The Talbot and Branksome Woods councillor then reiterated his commitment to ‘keep the politics firmly at the door’, if elected, to focus on the issues brought forward. Following a secret ballot, though, Cllr Carr-Brown was elected.

(Image: BCP Council/Andy Beeson-Brackstone)

Conservative Cllr Karen Rampton, after the result was announced, said: “I would just like to make a point that this is a fairly outrageous breach of agreed protocol and I am extremely disappointed.

Cllr Rampton added: “Not trying to take anything away from yourself, you’ll be a very able chair, however I would just say, how can anyone rely on anything that the Alliance says and promises in the future. I think all non-Alliance members should bear that in mind.”