Town 'could be heading back to Dickensian times' - councillor says

3:00pm Monday 17th December 2012 in News

Clr Linda Dirir Clr Linda Dirir

THE town could be heading back to the Dickensian era was the warning from a councillor during a debate on pay day loan companies.

The comments came from Clr Linda Dirir (LAB - Penketh and Cuerdley) at a full council meeting last week during a debate on a motion about the pay day loans industry.

It came after councillors had also discussed another motion congratulating the start of the Warrington Foodbank.

She said: “It is as if we are stepping back in time to the Dickensian era. Dickens wrote about this in the 19th century.”

The proposer of the two motions, Clr Maureen McLaughlin (LAB – Latchford West), said: “When people come forward to give their time and resources for others it’s a cause for celebration.

“It’s no cause to celebrate when parents are forced to choose to heat their homes or feed their family.”

Conservative leader Clr Paul Kennedy (CON - Hatton, Walton and Stretton) added his support but questioned the Trussell Group’s vision of having food banks in every community saying the ideal should be no food banks are needed at all.

In the pay day loans motion the council called on the Government to push forward with plans to allow the Financial Conduct Authority to limit interest rates.

Lib Dem leader Clr Ian Marks (LD - Lymm) backed the motion too.

He said: “We are happy to go along with this motion and I am sure it would have the widespread support of the public. Lib Dems in Parliament have campaigned for controls on legal loan sharks and we’re delighted this is now going to happen.”

All councillors voted to support the two motions.

Comments(7)

SAC_in_Warrington says...
5:14pm Mon 17 Dec 12

The main issue here is that some people are unable to manage their income and want more than they can afford. Speculating to accumulate is not the best method of increasing your income. One of the many lessons I learned from my grand-parents was how to make-do-and-mend, don't buy anything on credit, and make a little food go a long way. Perhaps there is some benefits in training low income families in home economics, home management and good personal finance techniques!

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notatcreamfields says...
7:16pm Mon 17 Dec 12

I just think it's disgusting that the Government have increased foreign aid by such a large amount when it can't look after it's own people. No other Government in the world has had the nerve to increase foreign aid when times are so hard at home so Why has the UK Government?

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ninearches says...
7:48pm Mon 17 Dec 12

Unfortunately, the governments gets so much revenue from VAT & other taxes on energy companies & fuel suppliers & us, the customers, that there is no incentive for it to put pressure on these companies to cut prices. It always amazes me that these companies along with rail companies always manage to come up with inflation busting price rises.

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bill_paddington says...
9:15pm Mon 17 Dec 12

Paul Kennedy seems have his head screwed on right. Having food banks in every area isn’t something to celebrate because it’s the clearest indication that our society just isn’t working properly. As it is now, the councils are acting like the long-term unemployed where most efforts go into making ends meet while arguing that it’s not their fault and there’s not a lot they can do. It’s a survival mentality that will get us nowhere. We need something a hell of a lot more radical than reducing bin collections if we’re ever going to get out of this mess. Break the bloody rules if necessary, get people back in work and make the town better.

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SAC_in_Warrington says...
10:35pm Mon 17 Dec 12

I say that we should abolish the parish councils. Reduce the unitary councils' hospitality budgets and review all councillors allowances and expenses also bring back adult night / day schools to educate the masses…

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HappyMisery says...
1:06pm Tue 18 Dec 12

Dickensian times offered high levels of employment, zero homelessness and every person was guaranteed at least 1 full meal per day. Would going back to "dickensian times" be such a bad thing?

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Freeborn John says...
6:23pm Tue 18 Dec 12

Dickensian times, that was when the ordinary man doffed his cap to the fine folk in't Town Hall.
Some of these upstart councillors would love that...

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