CITY OF PRESTON LABOUR PARTY

Labour Councillors in Preston have emphasised fairness for all in their budget plans by agreeing to reverse Preston Council's controversial charge for replacement wheelie bins in their budget proposals for 2010/11.

Labour opposed the charge of £25 plus VAT introduced by the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition running Preston Council last year. Although the Cabinet have proposed reducing the charge to £10, Labour Councillors want the charge removing completely and the service managed more efficiently to achieve savings.

Proposing the Labour budget, Councillor Martyn Rawlinson said the charges were an easy option for the council but grossly unfair on council taxpayers and those on low incomes;

"Taxpayers are already paying for these bins in their council tax. The only council service that many council tax payers receive directly is waste collection, so to make them responsible for stolen or vandalised wheelie bins they have already paid for is not acceptable to them or the Labour party."

Labour leader Councillor John Collins added;

"We have opposed these charges from the start. To charge residents to replace council property when they have been a victim of theft or vandalism is utterly ridiculous."

Labour also plan to end free parking for Councillors and new council staff by charging them around £200 per year for using council property.

Other Labour proposals include

• ongoing £100,000 pounds a year for Alleygating as opposed to only a two year commitment by the Conservatives;
• the return of free leisure centre use for pensioners, disabled and unemployed in off peak hours
• introduction of match day parking restrictions around Deepdale for the long suffering residents near Deepdale
• extra promotion of the indoor market in light of further delays in the Tithebarn project
• a study into the feasibility of creating discounts on burial and cremations fees for those on low incomes who do not qualify for state help.