Letter to The Argus about Vale Park in response to a shamefully opportunistic attempt by Hove MP Celia Barlow to blame the new Conservative council administration for the previous Labour administrations foes

Dear Sir,

Following the Labour MP for Hove comments on Vale Park (Argus 2 June) I cannot let the facts pass without comment.

Despite this Labour Government’s best efforts to squeeze local authorities by slashing council settlements each year this Conservative administration is doing a fantastic job in putting right all the neglect we had seen in past years - years when Brighton & Hove was run by the Labour Group. A fact I highlighted in a campaign specifically on Vale Park in September 2007! (Details on my web site www.mikeweatherley.org.uk)

For the record, in 2007 (after the last Local Election) £20,000 of cash was allocated from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund to be used for capital works in Vale Park.  In addition £27,000 has been identified as part of ‘101’ funding (quid pro quo funding from local building projects) to provide further improvements. This was done in consultation with local volunteer development workers, the local residents and both local councillors including newly elected Conservative Councillor Steve Harmer-Strange.

Trying to say it is the ‘Council’s fault’ that some improvements are slightly behind schedule is shameful opportunism and misrepresentation – and it is to forget that Labour had a decade to get it right and failed.

Yours sincerely

MIKE WEATHERLEY

Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman

Pictured below: Mike Weatherley with Cllr Steve Harmer Strange in Vale Park in 2007:

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