After trying on three separate occasions to slash the money for a community toilet scheme across Saddleworth, Tory Councillors have now tried to take credit for the scheme when it reopened after lockdown.
Liberal Democrat Councillors repeatedly stopped local Conservative Max Woodvine’s plans for participants in the scheme to have their money cut in half, preserving the payments for local businesses across Saddleworth.
Liberal Democrat group leader Sam Al-Hamdani said: “I was astonished when I then saw the Conservatives pretending that they were the driving force behind the scheme. I did think that they had more integrity than that, but it seems I was wrong.”
The scheme, run by the Parish Council for the last decade, was on hold during the pandemic, as participating members were unable to keep the facilities open with coronavirus restrictions in place.
Sam continued: “Unfortunately, it’s not the first time I have something like this from Councillor Woodvine. Just the other day, I saw him commenting that Oldham Council’s planning committee had recently agreed to knock down another mill, while he had been saying for years that they needed to be protected.
“What he failed to mention was that not only was he on the planning committee, but that he voted for the mill to be knocked down.
“When Councillor Woodvine first joined the Parish Council he seemed to be very positive and well-meaning. His actions since have been much louder than his words, and sadly not for the benefit of the community.”