MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Tom Harney
Date of Issue: June 23rd 2011
Contact numbers:
07980 280074
0151 3272146
Lib Dem office: 0151 691 8544

LIB DEMS WARN LABOUR OVER PLEADING 'SPECIAL CASE'

Commenting in relation to Labour Leader Steve Foulkes' request for him to join a Wirral delegation to discuss local government finance with Eric Pickles, Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Tom Harney said,

"I am always happy to meet with representatives of the Government and welcome this further opportunity to meet with Eric Pickles in order to continue to influence Government thinking for the benefit of the people of Wirral in the development of a fair funding formula for local government.

"Our aim should be a fair funding formula that is sustainable in the longer term, from which the Council can properly plan the delivery of local services.

"Asking Eric Pickles to make a 'special case' for Wirral is a strategy doomed to failure. However, asking the Government to develop a fair funding formula for local councils which properly recognises factors important to Wirral, such as social and economic deprivation, is much more likely to succeed.

"This is too big a prize for party political point scoring. I would not want this opportunity to be wasted by going into these talks with the wrong negotiating strategy.

"We don't want any special pleading, all we want is fairness."