The former leader of Birmingham City Council has heavily criticised the lack of local representation on steering groups charged with overseeing the revitalisation of two city centre districts.
Sir Albert Bore (pictured), who is leader of the Labour Group, raised concerns that local councillors are not sitting on the new Broad Street Business Improvement District (BID) board and the Jewellery Quarter regeneration partnership board.
Both are situated within the Ladywood ward and involve representatives from local business and community groups ? but no Ladywood councillors.
Sir Albert, who is a Ladywood councillor himself, said he was raising the issue ?on principle?. However, he said he was the obvious choice to be the local representative on both boards.
The Broad Street BID is expected to be formally launched next month after a ballot of local businesses and residents.
It involves traders agreeing to pay higher business rates in return for a programme of environmental improvements.
Coun Ken Hardeman, city council?s cabinet member for regeneration, and David Pywell, strategic director of development, are the local authority?s representatives on the board.
Sir Albert said he has been asked to sit on the Jewellery Quarter partnership, which includes no council members. However, he is not permitted to do so until the council?s cabinet formally authorises it.
?Reading between the lines, they have not done this because they do not want me on that board,? he said.
The former leader said the council formally adopted a scrutiny report only days ago which requires local boards to give local members representation.
Sir Albert has recently been appointed on to a national thinktank exploring BIDs, such as the one on Broad Street.
He said: ?It is ironic that I have to go cap in hand to council officials to get information on the Broad Street BID which I then bring to a national forum because I do not sit on a BID board which looks at issues within my own ward.?
Coun Hardeman said: ?I would be very happy to see Sir Albert on the board if that is what board members want.?
