THE timeline for the transition from a cabinet to a committee led system of governance at Shire Hall has been revealed.

Cambridgeshire County Council will officially adopt the committee structure on May 13 2014.

A team of officers will work to ensure a smooth transition to the new system.

They will report to group leaders in July and to the Constitution and Ethics Committee in October.

Proposed constitutional arrangements will be brought in front of full council for approval on December 11 2013.

Training for councillors and officers will take place between January and April next year to help them adjust to the new system.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Killan Bourke tabled a motion which called for the abolition of the cabinet structure and a transition to committee led governance on May 21.

Addressing the chamber, he said: “It is wrong that so much power is concentrated in the hands of so few people

“It is harmful to the quality of decision making.

“The committee system is the most democratic and representative form of governance.”

Bourke had the support of the Labour, UKIP and Independent members

Labour leader Councillor Paul Sales said the committee system was “a better system of governance”, while Independent leader Councillor John Hipkin said “my instinct is that people can be trusted to make responsible decisions and it’s better for the responsibility for them to be with as wide a group as it is sensible to accommodate.”

Councillor Martin Curtis’ amendment to the motion, which called for the Constitution and Ethics Committee to carry out a review of all possible options for governance, was rejected.