09:21 Thursday 10th February 2011
Andy Harper Show BBC Radio Cambridgeshire
ANDY HARPER: Over 90 prominent Liberal Democrat councillors, including the Leaders of 18 local authorities, have criticised the scale and pace of the cuts being implemented by the Coalition Government. In a letter to The Times, they say the spending reductions are too big, and are being implemented too quickly. One of the signatories is Cambridge City Council Leader Sian Reid. (TAPE)
SIAN REID: I think Eric Pickles has upset local councils throughout the land, of all colours really, through his approach. Local authorities recognise that there is just a massive national debt, and we are really keen to play our part constructively in cutting it. But Eric Pickles has really front-loaded the cuts onto councils, so they’re facing across the country very heavy cuts in the first year of these programmes. And it’s important in local authorities that we don’t just swing the axe in a blunt way, that we think about our savings, service by service, intelligently, thoughtfully, consult with people, so that we can respect what communities need, and not deliver blows to them right at the start.(LIVE)
ANDY HARPER: Councillor Sian Reid speaking on our Cambridgeshire Breakfast Show earlier today. So, are the cracks beginning to show in the Coalition? Liberal Democrat County Councillor Geoff Heathcock, who represents Queen Edith’s ward, and he has been an outspoken critic of the cuts. Geoff, good morning to you.
GEOFF HEATHCOCK: Morning to you Andy.
ANDY HARPER: .. You have been an outspoken critic of the cuts, and the way they’ve been implemented. But you are, and have been for some time, a member of the Liberal Democrat Party. But as I was saying earlier on, to both of our Breakfast presenters, the Liberal Democrats are nothing if not a grass roots party. That has been their strength for so many years. And there must be many good people very worried. Continue reading “Geoff Heathcock Joins LibDem Rebellion Against Coalition Policy”
