Local Conservatives “Sign Death Warrant” on Working Men’s Clubs and Community Centres

Cllr. Dennis Meredith (Lib Dem, Talavera) has attacked local Conservative bosses for burdening local community organisations with huge extra costs during already tough times.

The Conservative administration at Northampton Borough Council has withdrawn discretionary relief from business rates, leaving charities and community organisations - including working men's clubs, sports clubs and community centres - with huge extra costs.

"Mr Mackintosh and his Tory pals on the County Council are already slashing much needed help for community groups and charities" commented Dennis "And now in his role as Conservative boss at the Guildhall he's sticking some of these same groups with massive bills that may well cripple them."

"Northamptonshire Conservatives are proving they still have no care or understanding about how much charities and community groups help people, and tie communities together. But they just won't listen - apparently consultation documents to the town's Working Men's Clubs must have got "lost in the post". Instead, they go ahead and risk gutting local communities from their ivory tower in the Guildhall."

On Monday, the Conservative bosses at the Guildhall voted down a motion Dennis had submitted to try and force the administration to back down before communities are hurt, jobs are lost and people are left even more out in the cold by a careless Conservative Council.