Liam J O'Rourke
Labour Party
North Heywood Ward
As someone who is Heywood born and bred, I recognise that at times we need to put political differences aside to work for the good of our town. Therefore, I am pleased that in this election, not only am I being supported by Labour voters and by my party colleagues, but I am also supported by two former Liberal Democrat councillors in Heywood.
Former senior Lib Dem councillor Doreen Brophy-Lee has signed my nomination paper as well as former Lib Dem councillor Malcolm Bruce who has now left the Lib Dems and who is campaigning for me. Many former Liberal Democrat and Conservative voters have also expressed their support for me in this election.
Times are difficult at the moment as the Council needs to find £150 million worth of service cuts over three years. But, if elected as your councillor, I will fight hard to ensure that Heywood gets its fair share of resources. This is why last year Labour rejected the idea from the Lib Dem/Tory run council efficiency committee to slash Heywood’s township funding from £4 per head to zero. Labour recognised that cuts had to be made and therefore managed to set a budget that still allowed for township funding of £2 per head. I know it was a reduction, but better to have Labour’s half a loaf rather the Lib Dem’s no loaf.
Local issues are what matters most to me and here are just a few that Labour and I have been working on:
- A big programme to repair pot holes and poor road surfaces in Heywood.
- A larger car park at Queens Park to alleviate the parking pressures on nearby roads, especially Heywood Hall Road
- Labour made sure the Council had enough grit during the winter to ensure our roads and pavements were free of snow and ice, plus Labour made sure shopping areas were clear and the areas around churches were clear for Christmas services. This is in contrast to the fiasco of 2009/2010 when the Lib Dem controlled council left our roads and pavements snowbound for weeks
- I have been petitioning against the closure of front desk services at Heywood Police Station
- Labour has provided funding from the Heywood Township to help residents whose homes were at risk of flooding during heavy downpours, such as on Wilton Grove
- I am campaigning against the Tory/Lib Dem coalition government’s plan to change planning laws which will give local residents fewer rights to protect our green spaces and make it easier for developers to build. Even the staunchly Conservative newspaper ‘The Daily Telegraph’ is opposed to these plans
Recent measures in George Osborne’s budget will hurt many Heywood residents such as the slashing of pensioner’s allowances, the tax on hot food and the big tax cut for millionaires which seems to be at the expense of our National Health Service. Our NHS is under a massive threat from Tory/Lib Dem policies that will lead to privatisation and a health service like America where the ability to pay is more important that one’s needs. Let’s also not forget Osborne’s big price hike in petrol which will hit us later this year.
This government does not care for hard working Heywood people or for Heywood pensioners - it is only interested in giving tax breaks to millionaires.
I hope you will be kind enough to give me your vote on May 3rd so that I can speak up for my home town of Heywood and its people at the town hall.
Best wishes
Liam O’Rourke
