Labour thwart Lib Dem moves to save Area Housing Offices

12.22.33pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 6th Mar 2007

Cllrs Richard Whitehouse (centre), Mike Heap and Malcolm Gwinnett (right) with the protest outside the Woodcross Housing Office

Springvale Liberal Democrat Cllr Richard Whitehouse took to Full Council a motion calling for an end to the planned closures of the Area Housing Offices. However the ruling Labour party amended the motion so as to make it meaningless and to get their own members off the hook. This meant Labour failed to support Lib Dem moves to stop the closures which will now go ahead.

Cllr Mike Heap said, "This means that the Woodcross office has had its opening hours slashed, it is now open 9am - 1pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday only. Once the new office in Wolverhampton has opened and the welcome transfer of the Bilston office back to the refurbished Town Hall, then Woodcross Office will close without any justifiable reason. This is another example of your uncaring Labour council."