A decision to reject a reduction in Port St Mary Commissioners to five members is ’a bad day for democracy,’ chairman Michelle Haywood believes.

The authority requested the reduction from its current nine members and a public inquiry was held in July.

The inquiry also looked into a request by Port Erin Commissioners that their board be reduced from nine to seven members.

Inquiry chairman Geoff Karran ruled that in Port St Mary, a board size of ’seven is most appropriate at this time’.

The local authority decided to reduce as, at one commissioner for every 200 residents, there is over representation with nine members.

Several functions - such as public sector housing allocation - have become streamlined meaning less board input is required.

Dr Haywood added that when the board is smaller, when members are absent, it functions more efficiently.

Three members opposed a reduction to five members saying that it increased the risk of cliques forming and was less democratic.

The issue was thoroughly debated, said Dr Haywood and the public was given the chance to comment.

She added the inquiry was into reducing to five - not seven - members, so the ruling did not answer the question raised.

’We go through all the proper channels, he (Mr Karran) decides on what we did not ask for. And with no real justification why seven is better than five.’

At the inquiry just one member of the public spoke and they voiced their opposition, but in general the public seems ’apathetic’ about a reduction, she said.

Mr Karran’s ruling suggests the authority could revisit the reduction in the future, but that would involve extra cost for ratepayers, who funded the inquiry.