Unsurprisingly the Liberal democrats have taken the opportunity to link up with Local Anti Conservative Groups and Independent Councillors to Launch their General Election Campaign - the recent FOCUS leaflet put out Ashton Ward highlights two things. One, that Prof Winlow the Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate has taken to writing the misleading information being put out and Two, has taken on the role of Co-ordinating anti Conservative Groups across the Borough. Independent Councillors in Ashton Ward have joined forces in developing a joint website with Lib Dems, so proving that they are not Independent at all.
The Leaflet is deliberately misleading and shows just why Fylde Borough Council ended up as one of the most failing Councils in the Country after 12 years of Lib Dem and Independent Control. It has taken Conservatives over four years to turn the organisation around, having taken the tough decisions needed to secure the long term future of the Boroughs award winning facilities and services.
The Lib Dem leaflet states that Conservative Councillors did not protest at the Closure of the Pools, this accusation is a lie. All Conservative Councillors have been against the closure of the Pools, however after two years of attempting to involve the Private Sector without any success they agreed the pragmatic approach, that it would be more beneficial in the Long term to retain Kirkham pool for 12 months, thus allowing local Schools to continue School Swimming Lessons whilst the council involved as many National Organisations as possible to help with a feasibility study into a new Leisure Facility in the Borough. This facility if, purpose built, would be of more interest to a Private Sector operator. This would remove the half a million pounds per annum burden on the Council Tax Payer.
I personally met with some School Headmasters and parents regarding this issue and was told that if one pool could remain open then that would be better. Rather than shutting both Pools Conservatives found a way to retain one. The Council is also in consultation with the Six Hotels in St Annes which have Pools open to the public. I hope that these discussions will see the Hotels, following the Parkwater's lead in hosting swimming lessons. The Conservatives are also proposing to launch a new Leisure Card which will hopefully lead to reduced fee's for swimming and gym membership. Technology is currently being tested by Bracknell Forrest Council on behalf of the Local Government Association. If the trail is successful Conservatives are keen to see the card used to give local residents a Discount when using the Councils owned Pay and Display Car Parks.
As part of the Budget setting process we consulted with Local Chambers of Trade, asking them to comment on the budget and whether thought it was the right decision to reduce heavily subsidised facilities, opting for better, more flexible alternatives enabling the Council to direct it's ever reducing budget onto more urgent issues - they agreed that the Council needed more focus on Town Centre re-generation schemes, job development and tourism.
At that meeting was Mr Arnold Sumner the Chairman of St Annes Chamber of Trade - Mr Sumner also agreed with his colleagues. I was surprised, that the next day, he went out and set up the campaign to keep the St Annes Pool open - surely you cannot represent the Local Business Community one day and then go against that view the next?? Forgive me but would it be cynical of me to think that political interference has now infiltrated the St Annes Chamber of Trade? After the Conservatives have managed to attract over 9 million pounds of funding to St Annes in recent years, surely that by politicising the Chamber of Trade Mr Sumner threatens the good relationships that have seen partnership working the success it has been?
In their leaflet the Lib Dems have admitted that they would continue to waste 500,000 pounds per annum in keeping open under used and out of date facilities, rather than take the tough decisions to close or modernise them. AT LAST AN ADMISSION.
The Government CPA Inspection in 2003 almost led to the Council being taken over by whitehall Mandarins - The report was scathing of Lib Dem and Independents Councillors and their lack of conviction and their 'head in the sand approach to running the Council'. Their failure to take difficult decisions and plan ahead for fundamental items such as facilities maintenance was a prime example of how they managed to squander almost 12 million pounds of Council tax payers money. This money came from the sale of the Councils Housing Stock - it was wasted on keeping Council Tax levels the lowest in Lancashire. With no reserves left and buildings falling apart, Conservatives have had no option than to Re-structure and start again.
In their leaflet Cllrs Ford and Henshaw call for resignations - I agree with this sentiment entirely - Councillor Henshaw's financial advice has played a massive part in the Councils financial decline - They say in their leaflet that Conservatives ignored their suggestions, Rubbish!, their proposals were unrealistic, uncosted and did not stand up to the rigourous rules required to balance a Council budget. The Lib Dems ask for resignations, Henshaw should go, as should Cllr Hayhurst, the former Leader of the Council who steered his coalition to disaster.
The Lib Dem 'Lies in Focus' leaflet also mentions the new 'Open Spaces Maintenance' element now listed on Council Tax Bills. Since 1974 residents in Rural Parished areas have been paying twice for their open spaces upkeep. Once on their Fylde Council Tax bill and then again through their Parish Precepts. This is because Parish Councils (other than St Annes & Kirkham) have taken over the responsibility of looking after their own parks and open spaces, yet the Council only paid them back a small proportion of the Council Tax for doing it. Again Lib Dem and Independent Councillors have ignored Parish Councils pleas to rectify this injustice - the Conservatives consulted over two years with Parish Councillors and won overwhelming support for the standardisation of the Council Tax.
The line 'Open spaces Maintenance' on Bills in Lytham St Annes and Kirkham would simply be added to 'Parish Precept' line if those Parish Councils took on the same responsibilities as the other 13 Parishes in the Fylde. Conservatives have asked repeatedly for a Lytham Town Council to be started and for St Annes and Kirkham Town Councils to step up to the plate and do the jobs they were elected to do - both to date, have declined. St Annes Town Council raises 41,000 pounds from St Annes residents each year, their sole responsibility - Shepherd Road allotments. The Town Council has been taken over by pressure groups, with axes to grind, rather than representing St Annes residents. Readers will remember that some stood on a dual ticket at the last local elections, some Labour candidates others Lib Dems. The up and coming Coronation of Cllr Ford as the next Chairman of the Town Council will ensure that the Lib Dem's can use your 41K per annum for their own political means. I would suggest that unless the Town Council in St Anne's agrees to take over open space management this year, then a public petition should be started to disband it. The 41,000 could then be returned to Tax Payers.
I urge residents to look past the Political opportunism of the Lib Dems and think about all the things that have been done in the Town in recent years. Conservatives have big plans for the Borough and many announcements to come, will prove that some of the bitter pills taken today will benefit the long term health of the Borough in the long term.
