"Political stunt" claim over Living Wage pledge

THE controlling Labour group on Warrington Borough Council has been accused of “pulling a political stunt” in the run-up to the borough elections.
They jumped the gun at the council’s budget meeting when they pledged to introduce the Living Wage for all council employees, according to both the Liberal Democrat and Conservative opposition groups.
In fact, the Living Wage is an “aspiration” for 2016/17, not the coming year.
Cllr Marks said: “We wonder why the Labour leadership sprung this announcement on us all. Anyone would think there was an election on the way.”
An all-party working group was set up in November 2013 to look at introducing the Living Wage.
The obvious benefits to lower paid workers had to be balanced against the implications for council contracts, the effect on suppliers, the council’s finances and the wider Warrington economy.
Only this month, it was agreed the working group continue to discuss the issue with a view to eventually reporting back to the executive board.
Cllr Marks stressed that the Liberal Democrats supported the implementation of the Living Wage and agreed that the council should lead the way.
“However it is now apparent that one arm of the council has no idea what the other arm is doing. At the budget meeting it was announced that the Living Wage was to be implemented as part of the budget.
“This took us completely by surprise because there is no reference whatsoever to the Living Wage in the budget papers so it was not part of the recommendations on which we were being asked to vote. The work of the all-party working group had been hijacked.
“To make matters worse the council leader has accused two councillors of voting against the Living Wage by their decision to oppose the Budget. This is nonsense because the Living Wage was never part of the Budget.”
Conservative leader Cllr Paul Kennedy said it seemed Labour had got “carried away on the night.”
The all-party working group was still considering the Living Wage proposal which had not been approved by the executive board.
Cllr Kevin Bennet, the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition Parliamentary candidate for Warrington South was one of the two councillors accused of voting against the Living Wage.
He said he had consulted a solicitor with a view to taking action against the Labour councillors who had made the accusation.
“Claims I voted ‘against the Living Wage’ are ludicrous. I did not vote against the introduction of the ‘Living Wage’, and neither did the Lib Dem councillor also accused.
“There was nothing in Labour’s budget this year about the ‘Living Wage’ being introduced. Labour have an aspiration to introduce the ‘Living Wage’ next year. That is something I fully support, because I have always campaigned for better wages, and better terms and conditions for the lowest paid workers.
“These ‘smear tactics’ show how low Labour is sinking.
“If Labour can point to a line in their budget which pledges to introduce the Living Wage, then I would like to see it. They can’t do that, because no such line exists.
“Making up stories like this just shows how desperate Labour have become.”