Colchester Council will adopt a new cabinet style rule for a trial period from February.

From February 24 until the May elections, five cabinet members will sit on committees and present reports to the council.

The new form of government is being introduced to comply with central Government guidelines for reforms.

The chairman of the modern local government working party, Colin Sykes (Lib Dem, Stanway), pledged the cabinet would not sit behind closed doors.

But the Conservative group abstained from the vote at Wednesday's full council meeting claiming changes would strip councillors of the right to represent their electors fully.

Conservative group leader Nigel Chapman said: "We do not believe this Millbank-driven scheme is in the interests of the people of this borough. It will certainly cost local tax-payers more."

John Jowers, Con, West Mersea, said he thought voters had not been consulted sufficiently and the Cabinet structure would give power to a minority.

Jane Girdlestone, Con, Prettygate, said the Cabinet would be "five people headed up by an omnipotent being."

She added: "Should this Cabinet happen the rest of us will have to be more on the ball than ever."

Labour's Mary Frank, St Anne's said she thought High Woods Country Park would not have been created if the decision had been given to a council Cabinet.

She said: "If it had not gone to full council it would have been built on."

She also said she thought the changes would be time consuming and make it difficult for full time jobs to serve on the Cabinet.

Peter Crowe, Conservative, Birch, Messing and Copford, said he was concerned about the cost of lap top computers which all 60 councillors could be given to keep them in touch.

Councillors agreed to set up the Cabinet for a trial period but called on the working party to reconsider delegating planning powers to the Cabinet and the town clerk John Cobley said planning issues can always be referred up to full council.

Under the new scheme the leader and four colleagues will have portfolios for strategy, resources, environment and transport, housing, community safety and health and employment, economic development, leisure and tourism.

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