Labour and the Lib Dems wreck Tory ‘free parking’ in Milton Keynes motion

But the Tory motion, lodged with the council on September 3, was the last of five subjects set to be debated on a long night at full council on Wednesday, and the debate was controversially cut short.

Mayor Andrew Geary (Cons, Olney), acting in his non-political role, decided not to allow the motion to be debated in full.

But he warned members, including “half of the Labour group”, who had wanted to speak on a previous motion, to shy away from filibustering tactics.

By the time four other motions had been debated, the meeting had just crossed the line of closure at 10.30pm. An earlier Tory attempt to re-order the agenda was also rejected.

“Just a shot across the bows,” said the mayor. “If I do see games being played I will, in future, suspend closure to hear motions.”

Closure is when meetings have gone on so long that the agenda accelerates to get remaining business done in half a hour. It cuts debates down to the bare minimum.

Tory leader Alex Walker, who also had an earlier move to change the agenda rebuffed, was given just one minute to outline his case.

“The filibustering was frankly embarrassing,” he said, claiming it showed how the council was not listening to businesses.

“The public will not forgive this administration if it does not do what it can.”

The Tories believe that the plan is does not do anything to protect jobs in the under-pressure retail sector – and called on the Labour cabinet to consider a free parking scheme.

They believe it could help bring customers back into the shops, but their opponents say it would only deepen the council’s budgetary woes.

Labour’s recovery plan focuses on training, growing small businesses, and in new and green technology

On top of free parking in the city centre, the Tory motion to Wednesday’s meeting of the full Milton Keynes Council wanted more staff to help local businesses, and to increase inward investment in the city.

The motion was formally seconded, without a speech, and they went straight to the vote after an amendment was rejected because it would have “negated” the motion.

The motion was lost by 14 votes to 34 as Labour and the Lib Dems asserted their combined majority.