MP welcomes scrapping fee
Council’s u-turn on £5 alarm charge
Wishaw MP Marion Fellows has claimed Labour- led North Lanarkshire Council’s u-turn on alarm charges are electioneering and a victory for the community.
The u-turn comes only one year after introducing the fee which would have affected 10,000 residents – particularly the elderly.
Those who paid for the £5 a week service will also be reimbursed.
Mrs Fellows said: “I am happy that the community alarm charges implemented by the Labour-led NLC have been scrapped and those who paid the fee will be reimbursed.
“The u- turn shows just how disastrous a decision it was. It took Labour one whole year to respond to the concerns and objections from the community. It is no surprise that this decision has been taken right before the local government elections. This is clearly electioneering at its most cynical.
“Charges put many elderly people, who are already vulnerable, in an even more desperate situation with some choosing to opt out as they couldn’t afford the fees.
“Thanks to pressure from the community and SNP councillors, the charge has been reversed. This is a victory for the community and a great example of people coming together to protect the services important to us.”
Over 1500 people signed a petition, organised by Central Wishaw and Coltness Community Councils, last year protesting against the £5 charge.
SNP Group leader councillor David Stocks said: “The SNP Group opposed the imposition of the £5 per week community alarm charge from the very beginning.
“We considered it to be a heartless charge on vulnerable, elderly people.
“Labour has been all over the place with this issue. They introduced the charge last August, then dropped it for 1,177 people in sheltered housing in December.
“Now, at last, they are dropping it for the 8800 other alarm users.
“Labour are still in a mess. They wish to suddenly dump the huge bill for their dithering onto Social Work – so what other vulnerable Social Work clients will now to face new cuts?”
The Wishaw Press contacted North Lanarkshire Labour for their response to Mrs Fellows’ comments.
However, at the time of going to press we had not received a response.
Following the council’s decision to drop the community alarm charge council leader Jim Logue admitted Labour got it wrong by introducing the charge, which could cost £2.4million to reinstate.
He said: “There is a commitment to the most vulnerable and the elderly in this budget but it’s silent from the SNP. If I make a mistake then I’m big enough to stand up and say so.
“This is a budget which invests where it is needed most – more money for vulnerable older adults, more money for vulnerable young adults with complex needs, and more money to head teachers to determine expenditure directly according to the specific needs of the communities they serve.”
Marion Fellows