WARRINGTON North MP Helen Jones has stepped into the row over the controversial Audit Commission report which slammed the way some public services are delivered in the borough.
She says she has been raising the same issues herself for many years – pointing out the gaps between the poorer and wealthier parts of the borough.
But she disputes the “worst town in the country” tag that has been given to the borough and adds: “I am proud to live in Warrington.”
The MP (pictured) said: “It is important to be clear about this. The Audit Commission Report did not say that Warrington was the worst place to live in the country – that comment stems from headlines in some national newspapers.
“However, it did make significant criticisms of the way some public services are delivered.
“One of the services which received a red flag was safeguarding children, the failures of which have already been widely discussed.
“The Commission also highlighted the failure to improve employment prospects for people in poorer communities and said that ‘the local Strategic Partnership does not have a clear plan for tackling unemployment and low skills.’ They also said that, if this continues ‘the gap between deprived communities and the rest of Warrington can be expected to rise.’
“They also criticised the failure to tackle health inequalities in the borough. They point out that ‘men in the better off areas live around eight and a half years longer than men in the poorer areas, and for women the difference is over six years.’
“I have been raising these issues for many years and have pointed out the gaps between the wealthier parts of Warrington and the poorer areas.
“The council, NHS Warrington and other service providers need to take this report seriously instead of concentrating on spurious newspaper reports and trying to rubbish the serious issues that have been raised. The report talks about issues which effect people’s lives.
“I’m proud to live in Warrington and I think the people here deserve better services.
“The best response is to see what can be learned from the Audit Commission Report which does not seek to rubbish our town but to highlight serious issues.”
MP steps into Audit Commission row
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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.
2 Comments
Things will never improve as long as the politicians in the town spend all their time trying to score cheap points rather than work together for the benefit ot the town and it’s people.
Even now, they are talking of cutting yet more services to save money rather than look at the waste in front of them.
Things will not improve if local authorities spend all of their time responding to audit commission criticism instead of looking to their communities and learning and improving. The Audit Commission do not live here, listen to us and not an unelected quango that says services are good and bad even if they aren’t.