LIBERAL Democrat councillors at Warrington have accused Labour of refusing to debate a motion asking for money to start a programme of pavement renewal across the town.
They say Labour rejected the motion outright and the Mayor refused to allow Cllr Peter Walker (pictured), who proposed it 
and Cllr Mike Biggin, who seconded it, to speak.
Cllr Biggin said: “The meeting descended into farce.
“Even Labour backbenchers agreed that the rules of debate had been flouted.”
Cllr Walker added: “I do not know why the Labour group was so rattled by this request but they clearly did not want it to be discussed.
“The state of our pavements in the older parts of town is causing real distress to older residents and those with mobility problems. If nothing is done people will soon be afraid to go out of their houses in case they trip and end up in hospital.
“I have spoken to highways officers who say they can no longer patch these pavements because they are past repair and need to be re-laid. A programme of renewal has to start soon and that was what my motion to council was asking for.”
But Labour deputy leader Cllr Mike Hannon retorted: “We considered the motion was spent, because work has actually started on renewing pavements in several areas.
“This was just bald cheek on the part of the Lib Dems. These pavements have not just deteriorated overnight – they have been like it for years.
“They seem to forget they were in power for five years when they did nothing about them.
“Everyone knows money is tight at the moment, but we have made a start on the work.”
Political row over pavements
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About Author
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.
9 Comments
Is this a case of Peter crying Wolf?
Then they wonder why people don’t have faith in WBC. In a civilised world it would be discussed calmly and positively, instead of childish immature point scoring. How pathetic these people are who are “supposed” to be working for the better of the town and it’s residents.
I’m confused. Does Councillor Hannon not want to contemplate doing things that weren’t done while he was in opposition – if so it makes you wonder why he sought office at all. Or is he trying to claim that everything is rosy and all work that needed to be done has been done or just being finished off? If so when can we expect the redundancies?
No, it’s another case of Mike misrepresenting the unmistakable.
My mate Geoff asks is it a case of Peter Crying Wolf – in the story of “Peter and the Wolf” there really was a wolf.
Yes and there were no politicians around to mislead anyone.
You guessed it Nick the Wolf was the Motion dressed in a sheep rug coat – Why did this Conuillors draw up a Motion when a simple question would have done the job?
As I said there were no politicians around to mislead anyone. If it were as simple as you infer Geoff why did you and your colleagues not rephrase the motion in the simple terms you say would have done the job? This would have saved ime, shown your crowd up more advantageously in the eyes’ of the electorate and put the others in their political places, without the meaningless but now usual and tiresome point scoring, which as Silver Surfer says is childish, immature and convinces no one.
Hi Tina the motion was rephrased but there lies the rub on the night – perhaps it could have been written in ‘Clean Language’. However it ended up that to bring the item to a conclusion and move business on the Mayor as chair had to intervene and his decision was accepted by all otherwise we might have been there all night!