Lib Dems Slam "out of touch" Manchester Labour over Inflation-Busting Pest Control Charge Hikes

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 9th Jul 2008

Manchester Labour Continue to Defend Their Inflation-Busting Charge Increases for Pest Control Services

Manchester Liberal Democrats have criticised a leading Labour Councillor for defending massive hikes in pest control charges for local residents.

Charges for dealing with public health pests, such as fleas, bed bugs, cockroaches, and mice are going up by an inflation-busting 18% while the charges for some other pests, such as beetles, wasps and ants, are going up by up to 164%.

Lib Dem Councillor for Withington, Brendon Jones, today raised the issue at a meeting of the full City Council. He demanded that the Council cancel the charge hikes and either provide the service for dealing with public health pests free of charge for residents, as in Lib Dem controlled Liverpool, or at least provide exemptions for those on low incomes.

In response, Labour Councillor Mary Watson, the Chair of the Resources and Governance Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which recently discussed the pest control charge increases, defended the hikes. Amazingly, Councillor Watson stated that she and the other Labour members of her committee felt that the increase were "long overdue". She went on to say that the Labour members felt that the charges were "good value for money".

Councillor Brendon Jones said after the meeting:

"At a time when pest infestation are increasing and when hard working families and those on low incomes are feeling the financial pinch, it is wholly wrong to bring in these inflation-busting increases."

"Manchester should follow the example of Lib Dem Liverpool and provide public health pests control services free of charge for local residents."

Lib Dem Councillor for Whalley Range, John Grant, added:

"I know from my advice surgeries that many of my constituents are suffering from pest infestations. Many people in Manchester will struggle to pay these hugely inflated charges to deal with them."

"Councillor Watson's comments show how arrogant and out of touch with local people she and the Labour Council are."

ENDS