Kerbside aftermath: following the discredited waste contracts and the Calderdale failed coup, Labour sends open letter to Lib Dems

Monday, 19 October 2009

Liberal Democrat group should apologise for smears against Labour councillor. Calderdale Labour group leader Cllr Tim Swift has today written an open letter to Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Janet Battye, pointing out that had her party voted with Labour for the amendment proposed by Cllr Diane Park, Cllr Reason would have been sacked, and calling on her to apologise on behalf of her group for “smearing” Labour councillor Bob Metcalfe.

Cllr Swift said, “The Liberal Democrat group have been trying to claim that Cllr Metcalfe is in some way to blame for the problems with the waste contract. It has always been clear that this was simply a smokescreen to justify their failure to act against the Tories.

“At the Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Panel last week, the Council’s legal officer told members that the panel could not take any action to scrutinise the office procurement process until the tender had been completed. This was accepted by all members, including Cllr Battye and other Liberal Democrats. But this is precisely the situation that the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Panel faced in considering the waste contract.

“It is clear that the attacks being made on Cllr Metcalfe by the Liberal Democrats are unjustified and untrue. I am now calling on Cllr Battye to have the decency to acknowledge this, and to publicly withdraw these smears”.

See letter sent by the Labour group.

The Hebden Bridge Web will of course pleased to publish a response to this item from other political parties.

See previous coverage of Kerbside on the Hebweb