LIB DEMS CALL FOR 'SPANISH' TORY CLLR TO GO!

11.41.26pm GMT Thu 5th Mar 2009

Following on from last week's all important Council meeting where there was one notable Councillor absentee, which has led to the recent revelations in the Rossendale Free Press that has discovered the same absentee is now apparently not contactable. In response the Lib Dems have called for the resignation of Conservative Cllr Stuart Pawson and an immediate by-election for the Helmshore Ward.

It is widely known that Cllr Pawson had been considering a move to Spain, but the LibDems are now angry that it appears this move has now become permanent. This is because Cllr Pawson's absence is becoming more and more common.

In fact, Cllr Pawson has hardly been to any Council meetings nor local community meetings all year, but still continues to claim his allowance and additional special responsibility allowance for being Vice Chair of Rossendale Council's Audit committee.

Group leader of the LibDems - Catherine Pilling said, 'Incredibly this is the third time in three years the Conservatives have had a Councillor go AWOL and one just gets the impression that this group shows no respect for the office that they hold. If the Free Press cannot get hold of Cllr Pawson, how can a constituent be expected to get in contact with him?'

'We have no problem with Cllr Pawson seeking to live out of the country, our issue is that he continues to hold office when clearly he has no intention of fulfilling his duties. This is just a down right insult to the people who elected him and Cllr Pawson should stop taking an allowance from Rossendale Council with immediate effect. Furthermore, we need a replacement who will represent the people of Helmshore properly!'

LibDem Parliamentary Candidate Dale Mulgrew added, 'I think unfortunately it appears to me that Cllr Pawson is having a few too many Sangria's on the good folk of Rossendale!'

'There is a serious side which is that this charade the Tories are covering up once more places Politics in an extremely poor light. This just again fuels public resentment at politicians being in it only for themselves. It also damages the reputation of many of Rossendale's councillors who really go into the job for the right reasons.'

'I found it inconceivable at last week's most important Council meeting for quite some time on leisure that the only Councillor who did a no show was a Tory! The only honourable thing for Cllr Pawson now to do is to leave the role he has no interest in and let a more committed person take on the job and serve the people in the manner that they deserve.'