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South Northants Labour Party respond to Northamptonshire County Council budget

South Northants Labour Party respond to Northamptonshire County Council budget

Northamptonshire County Council’s budget of 28th February 2018 announced wide-spread cuts to vital services across the county and will pave the way for more cuts in the future.  The Council is obviously in disarray with its placement in special measures, and the resignation of its leader, Conservative Councillor Heather Smith. Labour party activists in South Northampton are opposed to the cuts and have been actively campaigning against them, with many taking leading roles in local campaigns. It is Labour Party policy to end austerity, which Labour describe as a political choice that stifles growth and impacts on wellbeing, especially for the neediest in society. For Labour, an end to austerity can be financed, in part, through increases in taxation for the very wealthy.

Northamptonshire County Council, in their budget, have chosen to implement austerity. 21 libraries are sent to close, many communities will lose vital bus services that will leave people stranded, social care remains underfunded, and winter roads remain ungritted. This is taking place in a prosperous county in the sixth-largest national economy in the world.   

South Northants Labour argue that such harsh austerity does not encourage economic growth and that it clearly has a negative impact on individuals and communities. Labour candidates will be standing in South Northants to offer voters an alternative. This begins with Richard Solesbury-Timms in the upcoming Middleton Cheney District Council by-election. Richard is a local activist who led the campaign to save Middleton Cheney Library, which it is hoped can be community run following Council plans to close it. South Northants Labour believe that local councils need to take responsibility for their role in implementing austerity and act to end it.

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Comments

JimmyB

At 16:05 on 19th March 2018, JimmyB commented:

It appears Labour have no Cllrs on south Northants Council at all at the moment. The alternative opposition appears to be the Lib Dem’s on this Council who already have 4 Cllrs. Looks like they have a candidate in the by-election to!

If your encouraging tactical voting to teach the Conservatives a lesson then it makes much more sense to vote for the Lib Dem’s!

Are you working with the Lib Dem’s at all? I am guessing not if you are running against them.

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