The Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet Member for Customers and Communities has attacked the Conservatives over the street light switch off. In a letter published in the Chronicle & Echo, Cllr Meredith said:
So, the Conservative Cabinet Member at County Hall responsible for switching off Northamptonshire’s street lights arrogantly tells people that they should “get used to it”.
The reality is that the Conservative cuts to street lights will encourage anti-social behaviour and crime. For many years the evidence, and police policy, has been that effective street lighting cuts crime and the fear of crime.
This fits with the pattern of Conservative cuts this year – cuts to fire protection and cuts to road safety cameras as other examples – that will make Northamptonshire’s residents much less safe. Not only that, but switching off the lights hits vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, particularly hard. Nobody should have to live in fear of crime. The Conservatives are making Northamptonshire a much more dangerous place.
The Conservatives claim that they have to make these cuts to frontline services. This is completely untrue. During the budget meeting the Liberal Democrat opposition provided a perfectly workable alternative. Through targeting back office savings and unnecessary expenditure such as the Conservatives £2m Quango with an office in Brussels, we showed how the County Council could stop £11m pounds worth of the worst cuts. We suggested reversing cuts to frontline services, such as switching off lights in built up areas, lollipop men and ladies, bus subsidies and cuts to the voluntary sector.
The Conservatives arrogantly took no notice. They put their narrow party politics ahead of constructive suggestions that would have helped to blunt the worst of the cuts and protect vulnerable residents.
That arrogance is the reality of the Conservative administration, and sadly it is one that Northamptonshire’s residents are already “getting used to”.
Cllr Dennis Meredith
Liberal Democrat Shadow Portfolio Holder for Community Engagement
Northamptonshire County Council
Loading ...
