‘Not all councillors on SMDC are same’

I WRITE with reference to last week’s letter from ‘Frustrated Moorlander’ which suggested SMDC councillors need to get ‘more backbone’, some of the facts contained in the letter did not represent what actually happened.

Labour councillors from Leek and Biddulph strongly supported the Cheadle Independent councillors to call-in the decisions made by Cabinet regarding plans for Cheadle Town Centre, a process which, to date, they had failed to share with local councillors and residents.

We did this to highlight the consistent lack of open and honest collaboration shown by the cabinet with the people of our towns.

In Leek we already have similar experience of cabinet decisions regarding the Trestle market.

In Biddulph we have had the same in relation to Victoria Business Park. Labour and Cheadle Independent councillors are committed to early dialogue with the communities we represent on all matters whereas the cabinet consistently give the

impression that ‘ they know best’. The arrogance of the Conservative ruling group at SMDC was perfectly demonstrated at a meeting to discuss the Cheadle situation when the chair of the Services Overview and Scrutiny panel, Conservative Councillor Ross Ward refused to read out a letter from Sir William Cash MP for Cheadle, in which he criticised SMDC for failing to consult the people to date, even going so far as to suggest that there should be a referendum on the matter.

Cheadle and Leek councillors combined to win a vote to send the matter back to cabinet for further consideration.

The cabinet did reconsider the matter but did not change anything from their previous decision.

You may wish to note that there are no Cheadle or Leek councillors in the cabinet, six out of seven of whom are councillors from villages.

However the Leader of the council Sybil Ralphs did give a commitment, to consult widely with the Cheadle community and other involved partners in order to include their views in the forthcoming process.

As Labour councillors we take our

role in opposition seriously. We scrutinise issues presented at every meeting to ensure our questions and arguments are based on facts, and research, to ensure we speak from a position of knowledge.

Scrutiny is not merely about reading the papers presented to you, it is about reading the facts surrounding them, knowing the moral compass they represent, and speaking out in the Staffordshire Moorlands best interests.

We vote with the cabinet when we think they are doing the right thing for the Staffordhsire Moorlands, we oppose their decisions when we think they are wrong.

All councillors are not the same. Labour councillors adhere to the Nolan Principles governing public office holders, namely selflessness, integrity, objectivity, openness, accountability, honesty and leadership.

I believe we provide a contrast to the majority of Conservative councillors who rarely if ever question anything proposed by the cabinet or the leader.

I suggest your correspondent follows the webcasts of SMDC meetings available from staffsmoorlands.gov.uk where people can judge for themselves the merits of all your councillors. Lyn Swindlehurst Leek