CONSERVATIVE councillors have defeated plans to review how decisions are taken and scrutinised at Tory-run Winchester City Council.

The party outvoted Lib Dem rivals to avoid a review of how decisions are held to account in the wake of the Silver Hill controversy.

Lib Dem councillor Simon Cook, chairman of overview and scrutiny committee, proposed the investigation after researching other councils.

But he accused the Tories of using their majority on the committee to support the status quo.

Cllr Linda Gemmell, Conservative group manager, said it was the wrong time for "navel gazing" and defended the panel's record of holding leaders to account.

She said: "It's not an easy ride for the administration. Overview and scrutiny shouldn't be used as a political fight to whip the administration or to beat the administration."

Cllr Cook's predecessor, former Labour group chief Chris Pines, resigned over Silver Hill in February, following in the footsteps of the council's leader and deputy.

After studying the issue for months, Cllr Cook said nothing could have been done by the committee to stop or delay the council's unlawful decision to keep Silver Hill from public tender.

He had proposed a small group of councillors meet to review the system. Currently cabinet takes decisions before they are scrutinised.

After the vote, Cllr Cook said: "In rejecting a proposal for an Informal Scrutiny Group to consider possible changes to the council’s scrutiny arrangements the Conservatives indicated their approval of the current arrangements."

Chief executive Simon Eden said the committee was "beating itself up" over Silver Hill and should focus on its achievements in other areas.

He said overhauling the system would be "throwing the baby out with the bath water".