Harlow Tories slammed for “taking credit” over libraries and paddling pools campaigns
News / Tue 24th Sep 2019 at 06:51am
HARLOW campaigners claim that local Tories are taking the credit for their hard work on a number of issues.
They are speaking out after the Staple Tye Tories published their InTouch leaflet that went out to thousands of homes across the town.
The leaflet refers to the battle to keep Great Parndon library open and states: “our efforts succeeded”. There is no reference to the work by Harlow resident Emma Batrick, who has worked tirelessly to try and keep the libraries open.
Ms Batrick said: “I was shocked to see this newsletter from councillors Souter and Hardware taking all the credit….This has been a hard fight for many ordinary people across Harlow including non-party aligned group Save Our Libraries Essex (SOLE).
“Stopping the immediate closure is a great effort and success but Great Parndon is still not safe”.
The leaflet also refers to the paddling pool consultation. It makes reference to the public outcry, that the Tories proposed a consultation and also makes reference to “another Tory campaign.
This has incensed Harlow resident Martin Dear. Mr Dear read about the initial plans to replace the paddling pools with a splash park and so started a petition, gathered support and spoke at a Harlow Council meeting.
Mr Dear contacted us and said: “I started the petition that led to the consultation into the plan to change the paddling pools into splash parks.
In their latest ‘InTouch’ publication that was sent out to local residents by Staple Tye Conservatives, it is stated that the consultation with regard to the paddling pools happened because of a Conservative campaign.
The text reads “another conservative campaign to correct the mistakes made by this labour council”.
This was not a Conservative campaign, this was a campaign that was started by me and the 1500+ people who signed MY petition.
“This is a blatant lie, is deliberately misleading to constituents, and is an insult to myself and the other signatories, as it was the people who forced this and not the Conservatives.”
Gary
2019-09-24 07:19:24
Anyone surprised?
tenpin
2019-09-24 08:12:12
Opposing Plans for Latton Priory .... they must be joking! The Harlow Alliance Party are the only party who have opposed these Plans where it really matters. We objected to Epping Forest DC during their last consultation period as did 990 other individuals and organisations and to the Government appointed Inspector. This allowed us to participate in the hearings that took place earlier this year. No councillors from Harlow even attended these hearings (bearing in mind the effect much of the Plan will have on Harlow) indeed I met one of the conservative councillors canvassing in Epping High Street on one of these days and he said he had forgotten they were taking place! One must also remember that Epping Forest DC is run by the Conservative Party. This is just another example demonstrating the need to a local Party for local People,not one tied to Westminster.
durcant
2019-09-24 11:38:19
A real shame that yet again local Tory councillors and one is the current chair of council have decided to take credit when none was earned or owned. Last week it was the lie that Harlow had a secret traveller site in the East of Harlow when they knew all along this was outside Harlow boundary and part of the Tory controlled Epping Forest plan. Interesting that yet again it’s the same Tory councillor making such false claims.
m ingall
2019-09-24 20:43:01
Councillor Hardware claims credit for saving the libraries from ....er....Tory Essex County Councillors, of which he is one. If Councillor Hardware ever claims to have saved me from drowning, call the police. The odds are that it was him that pushed me in the river in the first place.
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