Protestors outside Wallasey Town Hall _320
“They will affect some of the most deprived areas of Wirral. The public will never forget this betrayal of their interests.”
Speaking in favour of the closure programme, Lib-Dem leader and council deputy leader Simon Holbrook said: “There are times when we are all called upon to do difficult things.
“We have to deliver a balanced budget and a council tax that does not put Wirral people under further financial stress.”
Council leader Steve Foulkes also called for support for the scheme to “invest £20m in new or modernised multi-purpose buildings which are fit for the 21st century”.
He said: “It’s not about stripping things out, it’s about putting money back into the system.
“We should put our facilities where we want to attract people to the world of information.”
During the stormy question-and-answer session which followed, Tory councillor Tom Anderson – in his maiden speech in the council chamber – won a standing ovation from the public gallery when he accused the ruling group of “taking an axe to the heart of Wirral which it would take years to recover from.”
The voting was along party lines, with the ruling Labour and Lib-Dems supporting the strategic asset review, and the Tories voting against it.
Wirral’s Cabinet next meets on January 15 to consider responses to its consultation on the closure programme.
