ANGRY Labour councillors at Warrington have slammed the Liberal Democrats over what they call a “politically motivated” petition over changes to car parking charges.
They say if the Lib Dems really cared about local services they would sending a petition to the government asking for some of the borough’s central government grant to be reinstated.
More than 2,800 people have signed a petition organised by the Liberal Democrats calling on the borough council to 
reinstate two-hour free parking periods on shoppers car parks at Stockton Heath and Lymm.
But leader of the council Terry O’Neill (pictured) has hit back angrily.
He said: “It’s a shame the petition is so biased and politically motivated by the crocodile tears of the LibDems.
“After all who wouldn’t sign a petition to save the cost of a second class stamp to get a second hour of free car parking? Since coming into power David Cameron and Nick Clegg’s Coalition Government has cut the council’s budget by a massive 30 per cent – that’s over £50 million.
“If the LibDems truly cared about local services for local people they should have been doing a petition to Nick Clegg demanding some of our central government grant gets reinstated so we wouldn’t have to make these tough decisions.
“Let’s not forget that just three years ago, when the Tories and LibDems were running the council they closed down libraries across Warrington to save money.
“However as part of our 2011 budget consultation process we signalled that this Labour administration would have a different approach; rather than saving money by cutting vital public services we would instead try to generate a little bit of additional income which we could then plough back into local services.
“The people of Stockton Heath and Lymm are still getting one hour free car parking and the feedback we have had is that residents want us to prioritise safeguarding as much as possible of other local services, like looking after older people and disabled children, filling in potholes, maintaining parks.”
Executive board member for transport, Cllr Linda Dirir added: “The decision to only offer one hour free car parking was first tabled in 2011 and our motivation was purely to find a way to make our budgets balance in the light of massive cuts from central government.”
Anger over political petition
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
7 Comments
Labour don’t get it, do they? There is outrage in south Warrington at the way the car parks in Stockton Heath and Lymm have been singled out as cash cows and over 3,500 people have now signed our petition. And yes, the petition is politically motivated; we want to use political means to make a difference. They should look in a dictionary at the definitions of ‘politics’ and ‘political’.
Terry O’Neill ‘s party political response is beyond satire. Clearly he has no self-awareness.
Cllr. None of you get it. People are fed up with the childish bickering as well as the failure to listen to the electorate in general, not just your usual cronies. Perhaps your time would be more productive dealing with firms running carparks who fine people who stay longer than 2 hours where this is no notices informing you about this. There is one up Winwick rd and I believe one in St, Heath.
If you ask the electorate to vote at local elections along party political lines, it seems a little ironic to then complain when they make their dissatisfactions with local policies known along party political lines.
Just as the local Labour Party (whose functioning is to be the subject of another internal investigation) was unable to influence Blair’s or Brown’s policies; so local Lib Dems have very little chance of influencing the Cam-Clegg coalition.
When will local politicians confine themselves to things over which the have some direct control and leave national policies and their rhetoric to the national politicians?
Shock horror, politicians get involved with politics. To be honest this petition is just the sort of thing politicians should be doing. I have no doubt that all political parties do such things from time to time, and good on them for that. Not sure why the spat has broken out. Just looking at the Council website I notice that this area has both a Liberal Democrat and a Labour Councillor.
I assume Councillor Dirir didn’t ask local businesses what they thought before she decided try to make more money out of car parks that are already profitable. I also assume the local supermarkets are delighted at the council’s stupid attempts to destroy small businesses in the town’s suburbs as well as the town centre.
Do you remeber the two faced poitics some time ago regarding Stockton Heath Primary School. The Lib Dems did a U turn against the proposals to keep the existing building and demolish it. On that occasion again a public outcry was made.
Would you call that politically motivated.
Time will tell!