A row has broken out over the chairmanship of the overview and scrutiny committee for Test Valley Borough Council.

The committee is responsible for overseeing and scrutinising the work of the council.

Winchester City Council's equivalent is chaired by a member from the opposition party, which is the Conservatives.

The Lib Dems say it should be the same for Test Valley Borough Council.

However, Eastleigh Borough Council has a Lib Dem chairing it, which is the controlling party.

The previous chairman was Conservative Cllr Nick Lodge. Cllr Ian Jeffrey was voted in at the mayor making on May 24.

Cllr Sandra Gidley had been nominated for the role by the Lib Dems.

Cllr Geoff Cooper said: "The Liberal Democrats have always believed in a fairer society for all. That is why in our manifesto we openly acknowledged that had we taken control for the council, we would have handed the chair of OSCOM to our opposition, because it is the right and fair thing to do. It in the best interests of our residents, that this council and its executive are scrutinised openly and effectively, whichever party is in power.”

Cllr Celia Dowden said: “Government guidance states it recognises scrutiny’s independent voice and role as the voice of the community. Cllr Phil North as leader has repeatedly said that he values cross party co-operative working in the interests of the residents of Test Valley.

“There is no better way to demonstrate this, than by appointing as the chairman, Cllr Sandra Gidley - a member of the opposition group, who not only has the experience from being a member of parliament but also the required skills set.”

Cllr Gidley said: “We are not asking for anything unusual as many councils across the land automatically appoint an opposition councillor to the role - but this does not appear to happen in Conservative controlled councils in Hampshire.

“There is no place for party politics at scrutiny level.”

Cllr North said: “Similar to Eastleigh where the Lib Dems run the council and also chair the scrutiny committee, the chairman of OSCOM in Test Valley has been a Conservative for the entire time I’ve been on the council and longer. 

“Not least because the membership of that committee reflects the political proportionality of the council and having increased our majority following the recent elections, remains chaired by a Conservative. 

“In practice the committee is non-partisan with much of the work conducted through cross-party panels - with the chairman responsible for ensuring backbenchers have engagement with policy and scrutiny. Whoever it is therefore needs to have the confidence of all backbenchers and our team did not have that in Sandra Gidley because of their experience of her previously being so partisan.”