PICKING UP THE COUNTY’S MESS

The Labour Group on the Carmarthenshire County Council are calling upon the Plaid-led coalition running the Council to respond to the concerns of the people of Carmarthenshire regarding the appaling state of the County’s streets and pavements.

Councillor Jeff Edmunds, leader of the Labour Group on Carmarthenshire County Council speaking about the proposed cut to the cleansing budget said: “We are not only going to oppose the current administration’s planned £100K cut to the cleansing budget, but are going to propose that £150K is put back into the budget, which will be ring-fenced to cleansing to target the major problems of littering and dog fouling in the County and the disgraceful state of our town centres.”

Jeff continued; “this is a major issue for the residents of the County and for the current Plaid-led administration to not only ignore those concerns, but to go even further and cut the cleansing budget would leave the people of Carmarthenshire literally picking up the mess left by this administration’s policy.”

“When we were in power even when confronted having to reduce budgets across the board due to a large cut in our money from central government, we transferred money into the cleansing budget to try and protect it as much as we could. Further, we initiated the Dog Control Order that now gives the Council power to enforce against dog fouling”.

“For this administration to cut the cleansing budget when it has had its settlement protected by the Welsh assembly is to fail our community, whereas by our alternative and affordable budget proposal Labour will deliver what Carmarthenshire really needs, which is people actively on the streets picking up litter and enforcing the law.”

Nia Griffith MP added; “Throughout the county, I have worked with local Labour Councillors and County council candidates who have been taking practical steps to tackle the issue of litter, fly tipping and the general state of our county’s streets at a community level.”

“I welcome this Carmarthenshire County Labour Group’s initiative in responding to public concerns by seeking to take decisive proactive action to tackle this problem at a County Council level.”

ENDS
For further information please contact:
Cllr. Jeff Edmunds, Leader of the Labour Group
Email: JEdmunds@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
Phone: 01554 755853
Or Philip Thompson (Press Secretary)
email: philthompsonkidwelly@yahoo.com,
tel: 07470260577 (mobile) 01554 229079 (home)

Notes to editor.
1: Nia Griffith is the Labour MP for Llanelli and Shadow Defence Secretary
2: Jeff Edmunds is the leader of the Labour Group on Carmarthenshire County Council, and County Councillor for the Bigyn ward.