IT is, to say the least, disingenuous of Tory City Council Leader Robert Rowden to claim that his letter (You Say, March 8) about concessionary fares provides "clarification".
He seems to have forgotten exactly what happened at the February Policy and Resources meeting which he chaired.
In response to widespread public concern about what was proposed, it was me - on behalf of the Labour Group - who actually placed the matter on that agenda, and then at the meeting described an improvement to the scheme by settling aside identified funds from identified sources.
Coun Rowden announced that negotiations with the "bus companies were continuing but that he was not prepared to make specific financial provision".
He writes "this was not opposed by any councillors". Yet I made it very clear at the time that I and my Labour colleagues were uneasy about the vague nature of what he had described, and that we would consider the position carefully with a view to making a formal proposal in the budget debate at full council the following week.
This we did, and the Tories and their Independent supporters voted us down - though they voted in favour of the completely unnecessary siting of refuse skips in just two wards of the city at a cost of a full 40 per cent of the price of Labour improvement to the fares scheme.
I repeat my hope that an improved scheme will emerge - but this Tory rewriting of recent history makes me a little nervous.
DAVID BARLOW,
Labour Group Leader,
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article