LEADER IS OUT OF TOUCH

THE leader of the council has delivered her usual New Year message via the Free Press (Political column, January 4), but as usual it is misleading.

It becomes clear that she is doing more on the campaign trail, in case there is a snap general election, than she is dealing with Rossendale matters.

She shows how out of touch she is with Haslingden, even though she needs Haslingden voters if she is to make a realistic challenge.

Contrary to her assertions, there are actually more empty shops in Haslingden centre than there was four years ago.

She has put the former Haslingden Baths up for sale.

She used monies which had been earmarked to renovate Haslingden Baths, to pay for the demolition of the former Rawtenstall Valley Centre.

All she can offer is that they will try to bid for some cash.

She can’t even define the area covered by the Haslingden Conservation Area!

Her comments on the Valley Centre Mark Two, which she calls Spinning Point, show that Barnfield are now driving this matter forward, not our elected members.

Other than very vague outline plans submitted last year, which included a hotel and a cinema (both now embarrassingly airbrushed out) and some shops, we now understand that Barnfield know the exact figure they intend to sell the flats for on the development, despite no planning application being submitted.

Has this council not noticed the national picture of the high street retail sector shrinking fast?

No mention about where car parking spaces will be for these Barnfield flats, for a spa and for shops, despite Coun Barnes saying there is enough parking.

No mention of the final costs of the AAAW Empty Homes scandal, nor the final bill for the Town Hall refurbishment which took 10 months longer than planned.

How do they expect us to have confidence in the same team who created havoc with council finances by not controlling the AAAW saga, yet they want to borrow £10 million for a scheme which has never been the subject of any public consultation.

Sadly, given their poor track record, their words and assurances are simply not good enough.

Through her next column in the RFP she should explain why it has now taken nearly three years for this council to conclude its car parking strategy review, and tell the people of Haslingden why she has done nothing for them.

Michael Pickup Newchurch Road Rawtenstall