A POLITICAL row has flared at Warrington after Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors clashed over opposition to the Boundary Commission’s proposals for new Parliamentary boundaries in the borough.
Labour refused to support a Conservative-Liberal Democrat motion expressing concern at a recommendation that 
would see 55,987 voters in Warrington change their MP and put Penketh and Cuerdley into a new constituency, 91 per cent of which would be outside Warrington.
The motion, moved by Tory Cllr Paul Campbell (right) and seconded by Lib Dem Cllr Bob Barr at a meeting of the full council, said the Commission’s proposals would be detrimental to the electoral representation of Warrington people, particularly those in Penketh and Cuerdley.
It called on the leaders of all three parties to develop and support counter proposals which would respect the boundaries of the town.
But Labour forced through an amendment seeking to reassure residents of Penketh and Cuerdley that they would remain in Warrington and would only be part of Halton when voting for an MP.
They also added a further amendment blaming the Coalition Government for the situation because it had instructed the Boundary Commission to reduce the number of MPs by re-arranging all constituencies across the UK.
Cllr Linda Dirir, Labour, said people in Penketh and Cuerdley had been confused by the proposals. Some believed Penketh was being “moved” out of Warrington and into Widnes. The amendment sought to reassure them.
After the meeting, an angry Cllr Campbell insisted that he had put forward his proposals in a non-partisan way.
“I simply don’t understand what it was that Labour felt they couldn’t back. Do they think Penketh would be better off in Widnes? Are they not concerned that thousands of people will change seats unnecessarily? Do they not think Warrington should be represented as an entity?
“Once the principle has been established that Penketh can be outside the Borough of Warrington for Parliamentary elections it makes it more likely that future reviews of local boundaries may decide that Penketh should no longer be in the borough of Warrington at all.”
After the meeting, Conservative MP for Warrington South David Mowat slammed Labour councillors for failing to back the motion.
He said: “We now know that Labour councillors are not interested in standing up for the people of Penketh and Cuerdley.
“Rather than make a strong case for keeping Warrington as a whole, which is not only possible, but would be superior to the Commission proposal, Labour councillors seem to think that people in Penketh and Cuerdley will be reassured because they can still keep paying council tax to Warrington Borough Council!
“People in Penketh and Cuerdley don’t want to be in Widnes, whether it’s for the purposes of Parliamentary elections, paying the rates or anything else.
“They want to stay part of Warrington, where they shop, where they do business and where they socialise. Labour councillors are putting their allegiances to party proposals before people.”
Row flares over boundary proposals
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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.
3 Comments
No surprise there then. Did people really expect the Labour councillors to support an idea from the opposition? Hell will freeze over first.
Laughably, Labour councillors will be wondering why people aren’t voting. Why should they, when the people in the Town Hall don’t care what they think.
Voters in Warrington would be be better served by voting for short planks rather than anyone wearing a Labour rosette.
The sooner our local election ballot papers have another option printed on them in addition to the names of the candidates, which states “None of the above”, the better. Then perhaps our local politicians might begin to get the message. Which is ‘when you get a majority from less than a third of the electorate, sit up and recognize the voters elected you under sufference – they did not give you a mandate.’
Why didn’t our members, of all parties, take their lead from the two Warrington MPs who to their credit put party politics aside and joined forces hopefully for the benefit of the town. None of our representatives came out of the the debate, if it can be so called, which took place at the Council Meeting on Wednesday evening. I doubt it convinced anyone in Penketh or Cuerdley.