22nd April 2004
Council
Cuts Condemned in Parliament
Inverclyde
Council’s swingeing cuts to frontline services have been condemned in a
Scottish Parliament debate called by a Liberal Democrat MSP.
Glasgow
List MSP, Robert Brown, led the debate which attacked Glasgow City Council for
the continued loss of green space and leisure facilities in the city.
MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, agreed that “axing
green spaces and leisure facilities … is counterproductive” and said he
looked forward to Mr Brown convincing his Liberal colleagues on Inverclyde
Council of that fact.
Speaking
in the debate, Mr McNeil said:
“I
congratulate Robert Brown on raising this important issue and for making an
excellent speech.
“Robert
Brown is absolutely right to say that axing green spaces and leisure facilities
– such as bowling greens, libraries and the like – is counterproductive and
flies in the face of a host of Scottish Executive policies: such as lifelong
learning, reading together, healthy living and so on.
“In
fact, his speech was so good that I will send it to every one of his Liberal
Democrat council colleagues on Inverclyde Council who, as we speak, are axing
leisure facilities such as bowling greens and libraries, flying in the face of a
host of Executive policies: lifelong learning, reading together, healthy living
and so on.
“The
fact that Robert Brown so roundly condemns actions such as those of his Liberal
Democrat colleagues on Inverclyde Council – the same colleagues whom he
defended gallantly in the chamber on 22nd January – might force
those councillors finally to see sense.”
Although
Mr Brown does not represent any part of Inverclyde, he nevertheless saw fit to
fiercely back the Lib Dem Council’s decision to scrap the £80 million school
building programme, following its condemnation by HM education inspectors
earlier this year.
Mr
McNeil said:
“As
a man of principle, Robert Brown rightly speaks out when he disagrees with
decisions in Glasgow and he bravely sets aside parliamentary protocol when he
wants to praise Inverclyde Council for decisions with which he agrees. He
is a Liberal in the best traditions of that party and a man of note and
influence in those circles. I am
therefore sure that he will accept my invitation to come to Inverclyde and
explain to his colleagues the error of their ways.”
Mr
McNeil also highlighted
several examples of how Inverclyde’s green spaces and leisure facilities were
being wiped out by the local authority:
“I
am sure that Robert Brown agrees that those councillors' actions have been
impetuous, to say the least. They
have closed libraries in the most deprived areas of my community, thereby
denying underprivileged children access to books, to a safe place to study and
to information technology. Those
kids do not have the luxury of being able to buy the books that they want or the
luxury of a bedroom of their own, equipped with a personal computer, where they
can study.
“Fresh
from that decision, Robert Brown's colleagues moved on to take bowling greens
away from those kids' parents and grandparents. In
areas such as Inverclyde, where public health is poor, it is vital that we help
people to keep active – especially people who are in their middle and later
years. Bowling is an ideal way of
keeping active, so to take away bowling greens undermines a key plank of the
Executive's healthy living strategy.
“Residents
are up in arms about planning development on the beautiful Inverclyde green belt
near Inverkip, but the allegedly cash-strapped Inverclyde Council has found up
to £60,000 of taxpayers' money to pay a specialist planning lawyer to help to
force through its plan in the teeth of fierce local opposition. I
am delighted that Robert Brown has given us a chance to air such vital matters
this evening.”
ENDS
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