Last updated 11:36, Friday, 12 September 2008

Big rows over little differences are never worth the bitter acrimony nor the knock-on difficulties and pain they cause. Grown-ups know that.

Cumbrian taxpayers were entitled to believe the members they elected to their county council were sufficiently grown up to carry out the work with which they were charged with an adult perspective on honouring their public responsibilities. Temptation is to question that belief now.

The council is in disarray. Not so much a row as an unnecessary estrangement has ground many of its vital functions to a halt. That, to its paying customers – taxpayers – might seem a little self-indulgent.

Since no political party on the council has overall majority, it’s reasonable to assume a regional electorate voted with the integrity, maturity and commitment of their chosen candidates in mind.

The council is now facing paralysis as Conservatives and Liberal Democrats refuse to join a new all-party administration.

Summing up the state of chaos, Tory group leader Tim Stoddard has said: “No two parties could agree to form a partnership.

Conservatives will not work in a Labour-led administration, and we have been unable to find a way to repair relationships with the Liberal Democrats. We will scrutinise the decisions made by this caretaker administration on behalf of the people of Cumbria and highlight how and where we believe actions are being proposed that will damage Cumbria, our quality of life and the services we provide.”

As a strategy for local government, that sounds obstructive, unnecessary, expensive and inefficient.

The shambolic state may well excite some councillors as opportunity for high drama and entertaining posturing. But to a wearied electorate it seems like a less than grown-up failure to step outside cloistered political existence to resolve decidedly surmountable differences.

Duty to democracy, voters and Cumbria calls for kissing and making up, in the interests of getting on with the job.