EXASPERATION with Cotswold District Council's Tory administration has led Liberal Democrat councillors to form a shadow cabinet.

Leader of the opposition Cllr Deryck Nash said he is increasingly concerned at the way the council is being run. He said the confusion and delays surrounding the roll out of the new waste scheme left the Lib Dem councillors inundated with calls and e-mails from constituents.

"We are pleased to have made these appointments which are designed to express alternative views to those of the Tory administration. We would encourage readers to contact us if they have any issues that they wish to raise," he said.

He added: "Last year we had the saga of the flooded leisure centre and in April this year the failure to get bus passes issued on time. We owe it to the people of the Cotswolds to provide a balance, to ask the difficult questions and to show that there are different ways of handling things."

Recently elected Cllr Peter Clarke (Water Park, Lib Dem), said he is surprised at the lack of responsibility taken by Cabinet members, especially after the two-star audit rating.

CDC leader Cllr Lynden Stowe blasted the Lib Dems for spending the last year "whingeing."

He said: "Lets hope this is the start of a more intelligent approach from the Lib Dems. All we've had for the last year is a lot of ill-considered proposals that would have led to council tax increases of over 25 percent.

"They're really a very small and negative grouping who spend most of their efforts undermining the work of the council by playing silly political games, rather than looking after the interests of the residents in the Cotswolds."

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Cllr Deryck Nash will be the shadow spokesman for customer and support services and property and benefits.

Cllr Peter Clarke will shadow for the sport, culture and enterprise and safe and strong communities portfolios.

Cllr Maggie Edney will cover community services while Cllr Paul Hodgkinson will be the shadow spokesman for the Environment and Cllr Margaret Rickman will cover development services and corporate planning.