Conservative u-turn on town centre debate (Northampton Liberal Democrats)

Northampton Liberal Democrats <info@northamptonlibdems.org.uk>

Conservative u-turn on town centre debate

April 13, 2010 12:00 AM

Conservative u-turn on town centre debate

Northampton's Conservatives are in disarray after withdrawing a motion calling on the Chief Executive of Lib Dem-run Northampton Borough Council to 'urgently review planning and regeneration policies with a view to removing barriers to out of town development' at the last minute.

For details of the motion, click on to our news story of 31st March:

http://northamptonlibdems.org.uk/news/000419/tory_drive_for_outoftown_retail_revealed.html

Northampton town centre - threatened by the Tories' out-of-town retail policy

Conservative Councillors tabled the motion following a public debate in the Guildhall on 25th March between Conservative MP for Northampton South, Brian Binley, and Liberal Democrat Planning Spokesperson, Cllr Richard Church.

But the authority's final Council meeting ahead of the General Election, Opposition Councillors performed an embarrassing u-turn, withdrawing their motion at the very last minute.

Commenting after last night's meeting, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Northampton North, Andrew Simpson, said:

"This was an embarrassing u-turn by the Conservatives.

"After failing to convince people of their out-of-town retail policy, the party's Councillors have clearly come under fire from Central Office.

"Liberal Democrats are the only party to have taken a credible, consistent and positive approach to regenerating our town.

"We were the only party to oppose the creation of the WNDC in 2003 and have been the only party since to get Legal & General to sign a development agreement with the Guildhall, committing them to investing millions of Pounds in the heart of our town."

Adding his voice, Deputy Council Leader and Parliamentary Candidate for Northampton South, Paul Varnsverry, said:

"This was a reckless statement of policy by the Conservatives.

"It effectively called on civil servants in the Guildhall to ignore planning law and open Northampton up to predatory out-of-town megastores, irrespective of the impact on small businesses in St James and in our town centre.

"Locally, the Conservatives seem to be doing everything they can to scupper the biggest investment in our town since the war, with all the new jobs and shopping opportunities that would bring."

ENDS