Local Labour Spin Revealed

11.25.00pm GMT Wed 22nd Mar 2006

The Labour group on Ipswich Borough Council wanted to amend the LibDem / Conservative joint administration's capital budget, "re-profiling" maintenance (in real English: "delays") so 'more' could be spent on affordable housing.

"I was taught that a 'stitch in time saves nine' said LibDem Councillor Richard Atkins, "or, in Labour's case, £25 million - the backlog of repairs they left behind them. And they wanted to add to the backlog AGAIN!"

However what really irritated Richard and the LibDem group was that Labour councillors only the day before could not bring themselves to support bids to the Labour government to provide "growth point status" funding for projects in Ipswich. £1.1 million has been asked for, which would go towards regeneration of the Ipswich Village car park, resulting in a mixed development which would include - housing! Needless to say, the £1.1 million is worth more than Ipswich Labour's desired addition to local housing. 72% more in fact.

Even worse, after all the Labour posturing in recent weeks, was that they also did not support a bid for £700,000 of funding. This would be added to the £400,000 already ring-fenced by the LibDem/Tory administration to do up St Lawrence's church as a community centre. It is terrible that this church has stood empty and unused for so many years.

"We have the possibility of achieving the funds to repair this town centre church and put it into needed use, for example for Age Concern to have a tea-room again" said Richard. "Borough officers have worked long and hard on this. Ipswich Labour has complained that not enough is being done, but can't bring themselves to support actually getting the funds. What will the residents of Ipswich think of that? That surely is spin of the worst type."