WEST DORSET District Council could be set for a shake-up in the way it is run after members agreed to look at the authority’s governance structure.

The council currently has a cabinet or executive-style system with an executive committee of seven councillors from the majority party responsible for many of the council’s decisions.

However, following new rules put forward by the Localism Act that allow the council to run under different systems, Councillor Andy Canning put forward a motion urging the council to review its current set up.

The motion was adopted at full council, however several Liberal Democrat Councillors were visibly angry when the majority Conservative party voted down a proposed amendment by Coun Canning to have a decision on the issue by next year’s annual meeting of the council.

A number of members of the public also stormed out of the room when the amendment was voted down.

Lib Dem councillor Robin Legg demanded an answer as to why the Conservatives were unprepared to put a time-scale on the review.

He said: “If there is a reason in your mind why this should take longer than next year, I think out of good grace you should explain that.”

Tory councillor Jacqui Cuff responded: “I think it is important to investigate alternative styles of governance. However, I do feel it’s important to do this right and to do this properly and investigate it thoroughly so we can come to an appropriate decision.”