Making A Difference

Posted By: Liz Thirsk
Date Posted: 13/07/2007

It has been a hugely enjoyable first few months as a new Councillor for Balderstone & Kirkholt. I’ve particularly enjoyed working with my Liberal Democrat colleague Councillor Dale Mulgrew at our regular ward surgeries. Here we have focused on helping people understand Gordon brown’s hugely complicated and unfair tax and benefits system. Income tax changes introduced by this Labour government mean that anyone earning under £15,000 will end up paying more income tax! For a government that claims to help the less well off this is a disgrace. Councillor Mulgrew and I are fully expecting our casework load to double! However nothing beats the satisfaction of helping out members of the public and it really does make the job worthwhile.

One area where the Council could help the borough is through boosting the number of local jobs and training for local people. I would like to see all Council contracts for housing market renewals building schemes to include local apprenticeship schemes. I understand that some schemes exist but not on the scale that could make a difference to our local economy. Local jobs and skills for local people should be included as part of the tendering process. With the help of other employment-related organisation and agencies the Council could set a great example and give local people extra skills. This sort of scheme would be particularly timely after the My Travel job cuts.

As Lib Dems, we do genuinely try and listen before making decisions. It is very difficult to please everyone and part of being in power inevitably involves taking tough decisions and upsetting some. Through my surgery work in my own ward right up to bigger issues that affect our local economy I think I am making a positive difference and working to put the people of Rochdale first. If we think creatively and work together to help all parts of our communities then we will all benefit.