Green attack over budget behaviour (From York Press)

Green attack over budget behaviour

9:02am Saturday 2nd March 2013 in Letters By Reader's letter

LABOUR leader Coun James Alexander referred in the council budget debate on Thursday to the work of their Fairness Commission, yet the actions of some Labour councillors made clear their disdain for fairness in York.

Forcing through privatisation of elderly persons’ homes and other services, using the smokescreen of a laudable “living wage” to hide this attack on staff terms and conditions and the quality of care for our most vulnerable, is deplorable.

Using public schoolboy behaviour in the council chamber, talking to amendments that have already been voted down and voting to refuse to extend the time for debate by ten minutes for the third opposition amendment was despicable.

Officers spend considerable amounts of time preparing the various opposition amendments which each group used to highlight their alternative approach to managing the council in difficult times.

All three proposals should have been heard before the vote was taken.

Democracy is not served by trying to silence criticism from voices putting forward alternative approaches for the protection of council services and the creation of jobs, as proposed in our budget amendment.

Coun Andy D’Agorne, Green group leader, City of York Council.