York’s Conservatives have criticised the Labour Group for their absurd stance at Full Council last week. Often Labour like to talk about things that the council has no influence over or power over, like the Middle East but last week was a new absurdity as Labour put a motion about the state of the city’s rivers and then actively resisted steps for City of York Council to take any action at all, preferring instead to posture and ask others to take action.
The Labour motion is on agenda pages 7 and 8 of the below:
There is nothing in it anyone could disagree with, but equally nothing for the Council to do, except write to other people.
The Conservative amendment simply called for a report for what the council could do to improve rivers, having taken advice from partners, with a report coming back annually on the results. It is on page 9 of the below:
In the public section, Ben French of York’s Green Party, (who probably doesn’t agree with everything the Conservatives do) fully endorsed the amendment.
Cllr Chris Steward, Leader of the Conservative Group said
For many reasons our rivers are in a poor state. There is much that others can do but there is also much that City of York Council can do from improving planning rules to giving advice on nutrients to facilitating restoration projects or ensuring rubbish is removed. After being told by the Labour Executive Member that there was nothing the council could do I simply pointed out that a google search alone brought up dozens of ideas, nevermind using the great (and willing) expertise there is in York.
It is absolutely ridiculous that Labour in York have so little interest in improving the city and indeed actively turn down opportunities to do so. It is hard to see why they would put themselves forward as councillors, presumably it can only be they miss their days of student politics or think such posturing will impress their party when picking new Parliamentary candidates.
