A COUNCIL scheme which aimed to increase resident participation in meetings has been criticised after not a single villager turned up.

Over the past year Winchester City Council has been holding every other cabinet meeting in a different location around the district.

The decision was taken by cabinet in November last year to reflect the diversity and geographic scope of the district, which covers a wide area of central Hampshire spanning 24 miles north to south and 18 miles east to west.

It was hoped it would ensure the meetings were more accessible to residents from different areas and encourage people to interact more closely with their elected representatives.

However, at last Wednesday’s meeting in South Wonston Village Hall, the public gallery only included the regular opposition councillors and former Labour city councillor Patrick Davies.

Addressing the committee, Mr Davies said: “It doesn’t work. All the items (on the agenda) relate to central Winchester. There’s no local people present.”

This was supported by Liberal Democrat councillors Lucille Thompson and Eleanor Bell. Cllr Thompson said: “When we have an agenda like we have today it does seem bizarre we are here.

“There’s nobody here from South Wonston.”

Cllr Bell added: “I would also like to echo what Patrick Davies and Cllr Thompson have just said. I understand the point... it’s having the opposite effect, making it more difficult for people to get here.

However, council leader Cllr Caroline Horrill defended the project. She said: “We have made the commitment to do [cabinet meetings on the road] every other meeting.

“We are trying to be as open as possible.

Finance portfolio holder Cllr Guy Ashton added: “People all over the district pay council tax.”

The next cabinet meeting on the road will be held at the Wickham Centre, Wickham, on Wednesday, January 23.