4th May 2010 14:14
Posted by: Chris Sadler
Posted by: Chris Sadler
A copy of a letter to a constituent dated 3rd May from Paul Liptrot, Conservative candidate for Walton Central ward in the Borough Council elections has just reached me. Probably many hundred more copies are being circulated.
It attempts to "clarify just a few important issues for you". I feel however that local people should get the truth, so here are the actual references in Council documents so that you can see the reality for yourselves.
1) SHOUT holiday activity programme
Liptrot says :- "all the well-used and valued activities continue"
Agenda for Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC) Cabinet meeting 25 - 11 - 2009 ( Page 271) says :-
1) Reduce number of weeklong holiday activity schemes provided during the summer (2010) from 13 to 9.
2) Total cessation of May (2010) holiday activity programme.
3) Total cessation of February (2011) holiday activity programme.
All proposals approved at Council meeting 9th December 2009.
2) ARTS DEVELOPMENT
Liptrot says :- "We have NOT cut one penny off the Arts budget for 2010 - 2011."
Agenda for EBC Cabinet Meeting 11-2-2009 Item 18, Appendix D6 shows at Line LB1 an Arts Development Budget for 2009 - 2010 of £97,540.
Agenda for EBC Cabinet Meeting 10-2-2010 Item 4, Appendix D6 shows at Line LB1 an Arts Development Budget for 2010 - 2011 of £95,030, a reduction of £2,510.
The real issue however is whether that money will actually be spent if there is no Arts Development Officer when Maggs Latter retires. We have been asking the question of who will take responsibility for Arts activities at the Council for six months now, and so far not had any answer except one that runs - paraphrased - " Don't worry, we will tell you soon..."
3) Frozen Meals Service
Liptrot says, "We have NOT closed the frozen meals service to the elderly and vulnerable." The reality is that the service has been outsourced to a commercial provider. Prior to this, i.e. last autumn, there were 123 users of the service. At the EBC Council meeting on 24 - 2 - 2010 - see the Minutes covering Agenda Item 4 Leaders Question Time, Pages 743 and 744 -, Cllr Mrs Cowin stated " Since we transferred the supply of frozen meals to a private provider, only 35 customers are ordering on a regular basis."
4) Car Parking Charges
Liptrot says :- "We have not doubled car parking charges other than ...." The Walton Society has not claimed that they did, nor have we argued that car park charges have been increased this year. The increases happened earlier, but the damage continues; for example Station Car Park charges were increased from £3.50 a day to £5 a day with effect from 1st April 2008. A report was prepared for the EBC Environmental Affairs Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 17 - 09 - 2009 ( Agenda Item 4 ) which showed at Appendix A that income from Pay and Display Machines and Season Tickets at the 5 Station Car Parks fell from £596,938 in 2007- 2008 to £587,900 in 2008 - 2009 despite the 43% increase in prices. The Conservatives have tried to suggest that this stems from our 1.9% unemployment rate locally. What do you think? Why do you think our residential streets near the stations and the Town Centre are lined with parked cars all day?
5) Public Toilets
Liptrot says :- "We HAVE found new solutions to local public toilets." But the boarded up toilets in Church Street need no further explanation, and hardly beautify our Town Centre. When I tell people about the unmarked Public Toilets at the back of the Desire by Debenhams store, their entrance near the lifts to the car park above Sainsbury's, many express surprise, even though they may have walked past them many times.
It is extremely sad that the Conservative candidate should put his signature to such wild claims which can be so easily refuted.
Cllr Chris Sadler, the author, who has represented Walton Central on Elmbridge Borough Council for 7 years, is Agent for Melvyn Mills, The Walton Society candidate for Walton Central in this year's Borough Council elections.
It attempts to "clarify just a few important issues for you". I feel however that local people should get the truth, so here are the actual references in Council documents so that you can see the reality for yourselves.
1) SHOUT holiday activity programme
Liptrot says :- "all the well-used and valued activities continue"
Agenda for Elmbridge Borough Council (EBC) Cabinet meeting 25 - 11 - 2009 ( Page 271) says :-
1) Reduce number of weeklong holiday activity schemes provided during the summer (2010) from 13 to 9.
2) Total cessation of May (2010) holiday activity programme.
3) Total cessation of February (2011) holiday activity programme.
All proposals approved at Council meeting 9th December 2009.
2) ARTS DEVELOPMENT
Liptrot says :- "We have NOT cut one penny off the Arts budget for 2010 - 2011."
Agenda for EBC Cabinet Meeting 11-2-2009 Item 18, Appendix D6 shows at Line LB1 an Arts Development Budget for 2009 - 2010 of £97,540.
Agenda for EBC Cabinet Meeting 10-2-2010 Item 4, Appendix D6 shows at Line LB1 an Arts Development Budget for 2010 - 2011 of £95,030, a reduction of £2,510.
The real issue however is whether that money will actually be spent if there is no Arts Development Officer when Maggs Latter retires. We have been asking the question of who will take responsibility for Arts activities at the Council for six months now, and so far not had any answer except one that runs - paraphrased - " Don't worry, we will tell you soon..."
3) Frozen Meals Service
Liptrot says, "We have NOT closed the frozen meals service to the elderly and vulnerable." The reality is that the service has been outsourced to a commercial provider. Prior to this, i.e. last autumn, there were 123 users of the service. At the EBC Council meeting on 24 - 2 - 2010 - see the Minutes covering Agenda Item 4 Leaders Question Time, Pages 743 and 744 -, Cllr Mrs Cowin stated " Since we transferred the supply of frozen meals to a private provider, only 35 customers are ordering on a regular basis."
4) Car Parking Charges
Liptrot says :- "We have not doubled car parking charges other than ...." The Walton Society has not claimed that they did, nor have we argued that car park charges have been increased this year. The increases happened earlier, but the damage continues; for example Station Car Park charges were increased from £3.50 a day to £5 a day with effect from 1st April 2008. A report was prepared for the EBC Environmental Affairs Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 17 - 09 - 2009 ( Agenda Item 4 ) which showed at Appendix A that income from Pay and Display Machines and Season Tickets at the 5 Station Car Parks fell from £596,938 in 2007- 2008 to £587,900 in 2008 - 2009 despite the 43% increase in prices. The Conservatives have tried to suggest that this stems from our 1.9% unemployment rate locally. What do you think? Why do you think our residential streets near the stations and the Town Centre are lined with parked cars all day?
5) Public Toilets
Liptrot says :- "We HAVE found new solutions to local public toilets." But the boarded up toilets in Church Street need no further explanation, and hardly beautify our Town Centre. When I tell people about the unmarked Public Toilets at the back of the Desire by Debenhams store, their entrance near the lifts to the car park above Sainsbury's, many express surprise, even though they may have walked past them many times.
It is extremely sad that the Conservative candidate should put his signature to such wild claims which can be so easily refuted.
Cllr Chris Sadler, the author, who has represented Walton Central on Elmbridge Borough Council for 7 years, is Agent for Melvyn Mills, The Walton Society candidate for Walton Central in this year's Borough Council elections.
