LIB DEM/LABOUR TAKE OVER AT KIRKLEES COUNCIL (Kirklees Liberal Democrats)

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

LIB DEM/LABOUR TAKE OVER AT KIRKLEES COUNCIL

January 21, 2009 2:26 PM

Kirklees Liberal Democrats

Statement from Cllr Kath Pinnock, Leader of Kirklees Lib Dem Group:

"Lib Dems could not allow Conservatives to ruin education for next generation."

Following the vote of no confidence in the Conservative Cabinet and the subsequent establishment of a Labour/Lib Dem partnership administration, Cllr Pinnock said "The Lib Dems supported the vote of no confidence because the Conservatives have put politics ahead of the needs of pupils.

"We have tried to work with the Conservatives for well over a year but the fiasco they have created from this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest £200 million schools funding can not carry on any longer. In ten or fifteen years time children will need schools that serve communities and provide opportunities. We can't allow the Conservatives to ruin education in the area for the next generation simply because their Leader promised a new school to his voters. These school decisions have huge implications for the future of the area, especially in terms of community relations.

"We have agreed to go into a partnership administration with Labour. We did this because it is vital to come up with a schools scheme that has support from a majority of Councillors, not a scheme railroaded through by a small clique in the Cabinet under heavy pressure from their Leader.

"The Liberal Democrats have significant differences with the Labour group on a wide number of issues, but we believe we can work together over the next few months and put the residents of Kirklees ahead of party politics.

"The very next step is for us and Labour is to start to uncover what state the Council is in, receive briefings from senior officers and announce plans on how to take the schools programme forward and ensure that every pupil in North Kirklees benefits from this golden opportunity to change education for the better."