Town councillors unite to bridle at Government cuts
Wednesday, 8th December 2010.
Haverhill Town Councillors are so worried about the effect of proposed Government cuts on the people of Haverhill that they have agreed to send a joint letter to the town's MP about it.
At last night's council meeting Labour group leader Cllr Maureen Byrne challenged the council's ruling Conservative group to say what representations they were making at local and national government levels to their Conservative colleagues.
"The impact of the Government's measures on this town is going to be substantial," she said. "I am particularly concerned about three areas, the cutting of Surestart, the cutting of child benefit and the changes in social housing.
"All these are particularly going to affect women and children in the town."
Cllr Paul McManus, for the Tory group, said they shared the same concerns and had already put them to Haverhill's MP Matthew Hancock.
"We have told him our concerns, particularly over welfare cuts, and said we are not happy," he said. "He is putting our fears to those that need to be told, but, to be honest, I don't think it will make a blind bit of difference."
Cllr Byrne said she wanted the council to work together on this. "We should be saying this will have a major effect on this town," she said.
The Conservative and Labour group leaders, along with the council's only independent member, Cllr Margaret Marks, agreed to sign a joint letter to Mr Hancock expressing their concerns.
At last night's council meeting Labour group leader Cllr Maureen Byrne challenged the council's ruling Conservative group to say what representations they were making at local and national government levels to their Conservative colleagues.
"The impact of the Government's measures on this town is going to be substantial," she said. "I am particularly concerned about three areas, the cutting of Surestart, the cutting of child benefit and the changes in social housing.
"All these are particularly going to affect women and children in the town."
Cllr Paul McManus, for the Tory group, said they shared the same concerns and had already put them to Haverhill's MP Matthew Hancock.
"We have told him our concerns, particularly over welfare cuts, and said we are not happy," he said. "He is putting our fears to those that need to be told, but, to be honest, I don't think it will make a blind bit of difference."
Cllr Byrne said she wanted the council to work together on this. "We should be saying this will have a major effect on this town," she said.
The Conservative and Labour group leaders, along with the council's only independent member, Cllr Margaret Marks, agreed to sign a joint letter to Mr Hancock expressing their concerns.
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