CLLR Bob Barr’s letter about life in deprived wards in the town is interesting, but the voters in those wards (and elsewhere) can judge whether more has been done in Labour’s five years in charge of the council than by the ‘Liberal Democrat-led’ administration that preceded it (mis-led, some would say).
Low turnout certainly doesn’t help Labour (I’m just happy when the Labour turnout is higher than the LibDem turnout) but benefit changes under the last Tory/ LibDem coalition Government haven’t helped.
The bedroom tax, reduced housing benefit for young people, and other noxious anti-social policies actually keep people on the move, and not voting.
You could almost think – especially as even government ministers now say that ‘austerity’ is political and not in the national interest – that it was deliberate.
Individual voter registration – rushed in despite the Electoral Commission’s advice – has compounded this but I’m sure Cllr Barr will join me in encouraging people to register to vote (online at gov.uk/register-to-vote or ring the council on 442184).
I must also point out that the change to all-out elections was not ‘pushed through by Labour’ but supported by all parties, so he’s misleading us again.
CLLR STEVE PARISH Labour Bewsey and Whitecross
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