Warwickshire County Council - Labour group voted for cuts to Children Centres

This week Jerry Roodhouse, Rugby Liberal Democrats Borough and County Councillor, went on the record writing to the local papers, stating his surprise and bemusement at comments made by Richard Chattaway, the Labour Group leader on Warwickshire County Council, with regards to cuts to Children Centres.

Dear Editor,

I have been surprised and bemused by the comments made by Richard Chattaway the Labour Group Leader (Warwickshire) on cuts to Children Centres especially his comment that they had managed to "fight them off" in the budget that was set back in February. He will know as I do that Labour actually voted with Conservatives in agreeing a medium term budget which included these cuts so for him and Labour to now cry foul after they took part in that decision is hypocritical.

The consultation starts June 26 and runs for 11 weeks and will form the basis for a report that will go to Warwickshire's Cabinet in October. I along with fellow Liberal Democrats will be pressing the case for a fair deal to safeguard jobs and pressing to increase the number of family support workers based in the community because we believe that there is a better way. I stated at the Cabinet meeting where this was discussed that "the acid test will be to see the investment needed into the workforce if the proposals being made by the Conservatives are to work". We will also be pressing hard for greater scrutiny of the proposals being made.

Yours sincerely,

Jerry Roodhouse

Liberal Democrats Group Leader Warwickshire County Council