The Labour Party feels its exclusion from the newly-elected School Organisation Committee (SOC) is undemocratic.
The influential committee approves and refuses school admission, selection and expansion proposals by unanimous votes.
The Conservative administration last week filled six of the seven SOC places and offered the remaining seat to the Liberal Democrats.
Under the previous Labour-led administration, there were three Tories on the committee and one Liberal Democrat.
"It is undemocratic," said shadow cabinet member for education Alison Moore, who set up the committee three years ago. "The panel has quite a lot of power and it is right and proper that political balance is followed."
Cabinet member for education, Vanessa Gearson, said: "The reason for dominating the committee is to ensure agendas of vital importance are pushed through quickly. There is a lot of work to be done and we want to be constructive."
June 26, 2002 12:00
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