UKIP's councillors would controversially not take up roles on Derby City Council's planning and scrutiny committees if given them, their group leader has said.
Councillor Alan Graves, who represents Alvaston following the May 22 elections, said it wasn't possible for members to "properly represent their wards" if they sat on the city's planning committee.
And he described the authority's overview and scrutiny committees, intended to hold the council's decision-makers to account, as "toothless" because their findings can "just be ignored".
Neither of the authority's two UKIP councillors have been allocated places on the planning committee. But they have been allocated scrutiny positions.
The other political parties on the authority have been scathing of UKIP's decision.
Councillor Baggy Shanker, spokesman for the Labour group, said: "It proves what a joke they are. They are letting down the people who went out and voted for them and would expect representation."
Liberal Democrat group leader councillor Hilary Jones said: "If they are not going to take up the positions on the overview and scrutiny committees they've been offered then it begs the question of why they put themselves forward for election."
Conservative group leader Philip Hickson said the UKIP decision was "astounding".
He said: "The commissions play an important role in holding the executive to account and looking in depth at issues affecting local residents. Planning probably has one of the most important roles in protecting residents and the city from inappropriate development.
"If I was a resident of Derwent or Alvaston, I would be annoyed that my councillors are ducking out of their responsibilities in this way."
Mr Graves said of planning: "If you sit on a planning committee you are not allowed to have an external view. What's the point of being a councillor for your area then? I'd rather go and argue either for or against an application."
He said of the scrutiny committee decision: "It fits in with our commitment to reduce the number of councillors by a third. They only have as many as they do because they are given jobs."
Janie Berry, the council's director of legal and democratic services, said: "The overall seats on council's committees must reflect the composition of the council.
"With reference to the question about UKIP, that group has put forward a nomination for its allocated places on General Licensing Committee and Taxi Licensing and Appeals Committee.
"No nominations have been received from UKIP at this stage for the scrutiny boards."
