Local Councils can and should do more says Cllr Roodhouse

Councillor Jerry Roodhouse has written to the local papers arguing that local Councils can, and should, be the voice that shouts at Westminster to change and act now to support communities.

Dear Editor,

The recent survey published by Britain Thinks makes for solemn reading and should get politicians off all parties to think seriously about where this is all going.

The survey confirms that the country is increasingly divided with 72% fear divisions will get worse and 83% feel let down by the political establishment. I certainly felt this whilst out speaking to people in the local and European elections. To compound this, we have the Conservative Party electing a new leader who in turn becomes Prime Minister. No one else gets a look in, so no wonder people feel disenfranchised and fed up of politicians in Westminster! I repeat what I've said previosuly the old two-party political system is bust and needs changing urgently.

Whilst all this is going on local Councils are having to provide services whilst funding is getting tighter. We see the effects of climate change and increasing numbers of children coming into care along with increasing numbers of young people self-harming with Rugby at the top in Warwickshire.

Our society is changing, and we need to tackle these issues not wait for Westminster. I firmly believe that local Councils need to stand up and fight even harder for our communities and the people that live in them. Local Councils can, and should, be the voice that shouts at Westminster to change and act now to support communities.

There is plenty of good ideas and practice happening in local communities and I along with fellow Liberal Democrat Councillors will be pressing hard for action

Yours sincerely,

Cllr Jerry Roodhouse