Labour's Cuts to Southern Cemetery will Damage Service

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 18th Aug 2006

Lib Dem Chorlton Park Councillors Tony Bethell and Norman Lewis and John Leech MP are fighting the Labour Council's plans to axe staff from Manchester's Southern Cemetery and to close the cemetery office.

The Council is consulting with staff, who have raised their concerns with local Councillors and asked for their support to fight the plans.

Cllr Tony Bethell said:

"The local staff play a vital role in the cemetery, helping the bereaved and keeping the cemetery neat and tidy. It is madness to even consider shutting down the office, especially when £150,000 of Council Tax payers' money has just been spent on upgrading it! If these cuts are now forced through this huge sum will have been squandered by the Labour-run Council."

John Leech MP added:

"There is a lot of opposition to the proposals. We are being told that this is about service improvement, but really it is about cutting jobs and axing services."

Ends