Uproar over road cash switch (Kirklees Liberal Democrats)

Kirklees Liberal Democrats <info@kirkleeslibdems.org.uk>

Uproar over road cash switch

September 29, 2006 12:28 PM

Local residents are in uproar over a decision by the Tory controlled Kirklees cabinet to switch extra cash for road repairs from priority roads to pet projects primarily in their own wards.

Uproar over road cash switch

Councillor John Smithson, Lib Dem, Almondbury ward says "Officers of the Council had worked up a list which showed which roads needed repairing first. Station Road in Almondbury was on that list. We backed the list as those with most need were at the top of the list."

"The Cabinet has decided to play post code politics with the highways budget and have scrapped the allocation of cash according to need and are now funding pet schemes primarily in their own wards. This is a disgrace" says Councillor Smithson. "The Lib Dems have asked for the deicision to be reviewed at a special meeting on Monday 9th October at the Town Hall. We will be asking exactly how the money has been allocated and why those people most in need are being ignored. We will fight against this dreadful abuse of power. The agreement to spend the money on those in need first was a cross-party agreement in the budget. We trusted the Tories to carry out the wishes of Council and they have broken that trust."