Labour Reject Manchester Referendum on School in Heaton Park

2.52.26pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 29th Mar 2006

Manchester Liberal Democrats have vowed to fight on with their plans to have a referendum of the people of Manchester on whether or not a new school should be built in Heaton Park.

At the full Council meeting on Wednesday 29th March, Manchester's Lib Dem Councillors voted in support of a referendum on the "school in the park" proposals. But the idea was rejected 47 votes to 33 when Labour refused to support it.

Manchester Lib Dem Group Secretary Paul Shannon, who proposed the motion, said:

"A referendum would establish once and for all the views of the people of Manchester on this issue. What are Labour afraid of? They obviously don't trust the people of Manchester to make the right decision! Manchester Liberal Democrats are committed to holding a referendum and we have included this commitment in our 2006 "Manifesto for Manchester"."

Seconding the motion Cllr Alison Firth, Manchester's Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson, stated:

"It's disappointing that Labour have turned down our plans for a referendum. There's been a massive amount of public debate on this issue. A confident, well-led Council would back a referendum, but unfortunately Manchester does not have that at the moment. Liberal Democrats will fight to increase our representation on the Council, so that our plans can become a reality."

Councillor Paul Shannon added:

"At the Council meeting I highlighted the conflict of interest shown by Cllr Mark Hackett, the Labour politician in charge of Parks and also a governor at King David, who of course want to build in Heaton Park. I do not see how he can be both custodian of our parks AND a governor at King David! This is wrong, and he should consider his position at once."

Councillor Shannon concluded:

"It's also very disappointing that Manchester's lone Green Councillor did not bother to attend the meeting or vote on the referendum proposals. Clearly the future of Heaton Park doesn't matter to Manchester's Green party. Only the Liberal Democrats can be trusted to look after Manchester's green spaces."

End