Lib Dems claim a victory for Common sense on Council Office Refurbishment Project

Lib Dem group leader Ian Radford responding to the Conservative group’s decision to accept the Liberal Democrat’s campaign to put the Council Office project on hold said:

Last July we opposed this project without costing that the Council should have an expensive office refurbishment. As recently as February we put a motion to full council calling on the project to be put on hold until the outcome of Local Government review became known. This motion was rejected by the Conservatives on the council.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Ian Radford continued ‘It is interesting that Councillor Jaggard now wants to do what Cameron accuses Brown of and that is to steal our policies. It is also interesting that he wants to rewrite history.

The Conservatives are now claiming that this project was supported by the whole council, it is not the case and has never been the case. The Liberal Democrats had rather that hard pressed local council taxpayers money was spent on local services not plush new council offices.

Ends

Notes
1. Council minutes from the July 2007
The minutes from the council meeting last July state ‘This item prompted considerable discussion by Members and Councillor I P Radford spoke at length and expressed the view that further detailed information needed to be provided before a decision could be reached. Vote for 23 vote against 1

2. The council minutes of 5th March 2008 clearly show
Councillor I P Radford spoke at length on this matter and voiced concern on the following matters:
. The lack of Liberal Democrat representation on the Office Refurbishment Board;
. The termination of contract with AW Business Solutions Ltd as projectmanagement lead, following appointment by Council on 31 July 2007;
. The need to establish clear detailed costings of works;
. The outcome surrounding the pending recommendations of the Boundary Committee.
Councillor Radford proposed an amendment that the project be suspended until full clear costings of necessary repairs were made available pending the publication of the Boundary Committee results. Councillor T J Huggan spoke in support of the amendment and seconded the motion.

On being put to the vote and with 2 Councillors voting for the motion, 19 against.
3. A press release from the Conservative Group on Forest Heath District Council
Monday, 19 May 2008
EMBARGO For immediate release
BEGINS
The Conservative Group will argue at the Council meeting on June 4th that plans to refurbish the Forest Heath District Council office should be suspended until the Local Government Review has delivered its recommendations to the Secretary of State in early 2009.
Leader, Cllr Geoffrey Jaggard said: “The refurbishment was supported by the whole Council last July. We are now in a very different situation and it is unclear how the buildings will be used in future. I therefore believe the right thing to do is put the office refurbishment project on hold.”

“We hope that, whatever the decision about local government in Suffolk, a local presence will be preserved in Forest Heath.”
ENDS

Few things surprise me about what the Tories are up to in Suffolk anymore.  Then something comes along  and does.

Not content with appointing a new Cheif exec at £70,000 more than advertised at £220,000 with benefits and a nice severance package,  the Tory controlled council was found to have acted ‘potentially unlawfully’.   So there, that has surprised me,  I wait to here the self justification from our Tory County councillors who pushed through this appointment.

When I am stressed out after a hard day, I quite often will take my two boys out for a walk particularly the playground where the innocence of life soon makes the stress seep away.

Other people cope in different ways by writing ranting emails  or having a stiff drink or relaxing with friends.  I always think ranting emails are a bad idea because it is so instantaneous and to send it to political opponents is just not the done thing.  I hope that I never take that route.