County Council consultation a "travesty"

Lancashire County Council was slammed today after giving residents only two weeks to respond to proposals that would slash important services.

Adrian, a local Ormskirk councillor called the consultation a “travesty”. He said, “Last Thursday, Lancashire County Council’s cabinet, including West Lancashire’s Cllr Fillis, set out additional savings proposals which would see gully cleaning; street lighting; work on uneven pavements; speeding traffic and parking enforcement all cut. Amazingly, residents are given only a fortnight to respond.”

“It’s pretty clear that these proposals are being slipped out in the pre-Christmas rush after the main consultation in the hope they go unnoticed. That’s not surprising, as I know many of my ward residents will be opposed to them.”

Adrian explained that the proposals if accepted would lead, among others, to:

  • Street gullies typically only being cleaned every 18 months
  • Dimming of street lights to half their light level including at times when children are walking home from school in mid-winter
  • A halving of the use of the Smiley Face speed indicator devices in speeding hot spots
  • Greater toleration of uneven pavements
  • A reduction in on-street parking enforcement

Adrian said, “I already receive many complaints about poor gully cleaning; the lack of parking enforcement and speeding traffic. If residents are already dissatisfied with these services from county council then the levels of dissatisfaction with Preston will rise still further.”

“I urge people to respond to this consultation that Lancashire county council hoped you wouldn’t notice. You can respond here.

To navigate back to Press Releases, click here.