Tynedale Liberal Democrats launch £35 million email address

Councillor Derek Kennedy at the launch of the new email address tynedalesmillion@yahoo.oc.uk

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Philip Latham

Tynedale Lib Dems have launched an email address tynedalesmillions@yahoo.co.uk and are asking people and organisations to contact them with their ideas for spending some of Tynedale Councils £35 million.  The council sold its housing stock 7 years ago and has built up its reserves to a huge £35 million.  Councillor Derek Kennedy of Hexham said “We have launched this email address and want people to contact us with their ideas for spending some of the money.  If an unitary council is implemented in Northumberland in 2009, Tynedale will lose this money.  We have warned the Conservatives and Labour of this huge risk for the last 3 years but they do not seem to understand the threat.”  

Senior Councillor Derek Kennedy went on “The Lib Dems proposed a radical plan which would have resulted in a £0 council tax charge this year.  We could have taken £3.6 million from our £35 million reserves; this would have saved on average £159 per household.  However, the Conservatives and Labour councillors voted against this idea as they felt it was not prudent.  I think the people would have welcomed a council tax free year and will find it hard to understand why the Conservatives and Labour do not agree.”

Derek, an auditor working for HM Revenue and Customs, said “3 years ago the Lib Dems proposed a similar idea for the council to dip into the reserves and spend some money, one of our schemes was to build a swimming pool in Hexham and fortunately the pool is now under construction.”  Derek continued “This could be the last chance for this money to be kept in Tynedale, if an unitary council is implemented then our £35 million will be merged with the £213 million debt of Northumberland County Council and we will never see it again.  The public are not going to be happy if this money is lost.”

“There are huge possibilities for this money, we could help the Bellingham Heritage Centre, provide a civic/community centre for Prudhoe, we have poor sports pitch facilities in Haltwhistle, Hexham, Prudhoe and every other part of Tynedale.  If you have ideas please contact us at the email address and let us know your thoughts.  The council is supposed to help the area and its people, not act as the Bank of Tynedale with huge sums of cash.  It is time to release the purse strings and stop being so mean.  The money was generated in Tynedale and it is here it should be spent.”  

22 January 2007

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