Legislators should be allowed to scrutinise municipal council budgets, Allen Lee Peng-fei said yesterday. The Liberal Party chairman said he would consider proposing a bill if the Government did not take the lead. At present, the council budgets are drafted and approved by their councillors, who are all directly elected. Mr Lee said the Urban Council and Regional Council, which have an annual budget of billions of dollars, should be monitored. Councils have executive functions such as issuing licences and conducting public works projects. The municipal councils have been repeatedly criticised for overspending and have attracted controversy because of overseas trips by councillors and expensive public works projects.