NEW accusations of behind-the-scenes deal-making have been levelled at two Independent councillors after they gained influential positions on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council committees.

The Liberal Democrat/Labour joint administration was kept in power by one vote in a secret ballot at the annual council meeting on June 17, after the local election results left four Independents holding the balance of power. Tories accused Independent Chineham councillor Martin Biermann of having done a deal with the joint administration, along with Overton Independent Cllr Ian Tilbury.

At a reconvened annual meeting on Friday night, Cllr Biermann was voted in as chairman of the environment overview committee, having been vice-chairman last year. He takes up the vacancy created by the elevation to deputy council leader of Labour councillor George Hood.

Cllr Tilbury and Tadley Independent Cllr David Leeks were made vice-chairmen of economic overview and development control, respectively.

Conservative group leader Cllr John Leek told The Gazette: "We were aware Cllr Biermann and Cllr Tilbury had done a deal with Labour and the Liberal Democrats, so there was no point in us fighting it. If they want to nail their colours to the Labour/Liberal Democrat administration, so be it."

As predicted, the Conservatives were voted the chairmanship of the scrutiny committee, with their deputy group leader Cllr Harry Robinson replacing Liberal Democrat Cllr Alex Green, who is now a Cabinet member, at its head.

Despite being in power, the Liberal Democrats lost the chairmanship of development control, with Cllr Anne Court, a Conservative Kempshott ward councillor, being voted in instead of previous chairman, Whitchurch councillor Gill Nethercott. The Liberal Democrats also lost control of licensing to the Conservatives, with Cllr Rita Burgess voted into the chair.

Aware of the Tory jibes, Cllr Biermann denied there had been any deals and warned the Conservatives they would have to improve what he alleged was a poor attendance record.

He told The Gazette: "I am glad that there is cross-party representation on senior committee posts and hope that will engage Conservative councillors and make them attend and participate more fully."

Liberal Democrat council leader Cllr Brian Gurden said he was disappointed to see Cllr Nethercott ousted, but he added: "The meeting was about what we can reasonably expect." He said he hoped the provision of low-cost housing would not be affected by "nimbyism" on development control.

Labour group leader Cllr Sean Keating echoed Cllr Gurden's comments, but added no firm offers had been made about positions to the Independents.

He said both Cllr Biermann and Cllr Tilbury were experienced and he did not expect them to vote with the administration all the time. "It's going to be a helter-skelter year," he said.

The meeting on Friday was called to finish the business adjourned from the quarrelsome annual meeting and mayor-making of June 17.

Conservative mayor Cllr Gwen Richardson said she was satisfied with the apology given by Labour group leader Cllr Keating who, in an outburst of frustration with Tory tactics at the June 17 meeting, had asked if she was going to resign.

Friday's meeting also unanimously accepted Cllr Keating's proposal that next year the mayor-making and council committee selection meetings should be kept separate.