Roadmender: Lib Dems demand re-think

10.00.43pm GMT Wed 16th Nov 2005

"The Roadmender can be assured that we will do all we can to overturn the decision"

Liberal Democrat Councillors are demanding that the decision to cut funding to the Roadmender is 'called-in' for consideration by the council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 'The decision was based on false and inadequate information, and as such it needs to be looked at again' said Lib Dem Community Services spokesperson David Garlick.

'We find very difficult to understand the way that the Tories could not bring themselves to be honest about what they wanted to do' continued David. 'Why did they chose to undermine the credibility of Roadmender as a currently well run organisation with the misleading use of the Arts Councils actions as a stick to beat them with?

'We cannot understand why they have not acknowledged the very real fears that the trustees have that they will be forced to close almost immediately if funding is withdrawn.

'We do not understand why the County Council and the Northampton Borough Council, both now Tory controlled, seem to be incapable of working together and seem content to say for example 'that the failure of the Borough Council to open the car park is for them not us' or 'what they do about funding for Roadmender is something we do not get involved in!'

'Having got to this point we will work with anyone that is prepared to pool their resources and expertise to give Roadmender a realistic chance to become a thriving organisation standing on its own feet.

'The Roadmender can be assured that we will do all we can to overturn the decision and to support an organisation that we believe has recovered from being poor, is now good, and with support from the County Council for a little longer has every opportunity to be excellent.'