No More "Can't Do-Won't Do" ? It's Time for the "Can Do-Will Do" Council! (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

No More "Can't Do-Won't Do" ? It's Time for the "Can Do-Will Do" Council!

May 2, 2004 4:03 PM

Councillor Stewart Golton, Deputy Leader of the Opposition Liberal Democrat Group on Leeds City Council, has slammed the ruling group for repeatedly blocking proposals to modernise and improve the way the Council is run.

Cllr Golton said "Liberal Democrats have proposed forward looking changes which aim to revolutionise how the Council works to bring it more accessible to the people of Leeds. Unfortunately, Leeds is being let down by an exhausted "can't do-won't do" Labour administration which is blocking essential modernisation of how the Council works. They were shown up in Wednesday's full Council meeting, when they blocked a series of Lib Dem proposals designed to save the Council money and improve the standard of service it offers to its citizens".

"First ? they rejected a move to open up meetings of the Council to public question times and make meetings easier for people to get to, saying "it can't be done". It can be done ? other Councils do it and so could we."

"Second ? they said "it can't be done" when I proposed a shake-up of the Council's Telephone Contact Centre so that the Council can be contacted through a single number 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Again, it can be done ? other Cities do it and we should too."

"Third ? when we suggested establishing Charitable Trusts to run Leisure Centres - a change that will save Council Tax payers £2 million per year - they said "it won't be done". Dozens of other local authorities run leisure facilities this way and so should we".

"No more "Can't Do-Won't Do" ? we can and we must improve the service that people get from the Council".