COUNCILLORS have raised concerns about being left out of the loop when it comes to decisions affecting Weymouth and Portland.

Some Weymouth and Portland borough councillors claim they are not being sent official papers, or consulted on key issues – and they learnt a member of a local Facebook group was invited to an advisory panel to discuss the new seafront lights – which they knew nothing about.

“Is this what we have got to do now to get on a focus group – set up a Facebook group?” said Cllr Gill Taylor, the council’s spokesman for housing.

“Shall we tell people to set up on Facebook and they’ll get invited along?

“Each of us as elected councillors represents 3-3,500 people each. When do we get a say?”

The debate was sparked during discussions about proposals for new seafront lights but earlier in the management committee meeting Cllrs Christine James and Kate Wheller had also both complained that they had not been sent papers for recent meetings, or had received them the day before a committee.

“I’m not known for stamping my feet and banging on the table, but I’m about to start unless something changes,” said Cllr Wheller, the spokesman for community facilities.

She claimed that several emails asking staff for information had been ignored and that she had not been consulted over a proposal to let the SPARK youth group to take over a playing field at Southill.

“My opinion was not sought, there has been no discussion with me whatsoever.

“People blame me when things are not done – at least give me the courtesy of being consulted in advance.”

Cllr Christine James said that as the council spokesman for social inclusion she had not been consulted either, although she agreed with handing over the field land to the youth group. A proposal which was agreed by the committee.

“It would have been nice as a trustee to have been informed a bit more,” she said.

The complaints led to Cllr Alison Reed, corporate affairs spokesman, promising that the right papers would get to the right people in future, and in what she described as “a timely fashion.”