Finger-wagging, arrogant Tories attack residents for own failures
Tory councillors John Walsh and Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon at a recent meeting
Arrogant Tory councillors showed their true colours when they publicly attacked a Westhoughton resident after she spoke up about their failed plan to renovate Westhoughton Town Hall.
One Tory had to be told to pipe down after aggressively questioning a resident who bravely addressed councillors.
Watch: Tory councillor John Walsh is reprimanded for berating a local resident
Meanwhile, Tory councillor Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon tried to STOP residents being allowed to speak at the meeting. She then went on to blame the town hall debacle on residents for not getting involved sooner.
She also admitted that she had been on “indefinite leave” from her duties, after residents complained that she had ignored their emails.
Councillor Eckersley-Fallon led the town centre steering group but failed to hold a meeting for MORE THAN A YEAR, until she was moved aside by her own party.
Watch: Tory councillor Bernadette Eckersley-Fallon blames residents for not getting involved sooner
Westhoughton North and Hunger Hill Liberal Democrat candidate Arthur Price said: “For a whole year the town centre steering group did not meet under her leadership, so if they are going to blame someone, the Tories need to look in the mirror.”
Meanwhile, another Tory town hall chief admitted that mistakes had been made.
More than 3,000 residents have supported a local pressure group, who want to see more of the town hall used for community groups that focus on younger and older people or health provision, for example.
The Liberal Democrat team supported the community group by “calling in” the Tory decision to railroad through their plans without proper consultation.
Without the Lib Dems calling in the plans, residents would not have had their say and the Tory administration would have rubber-stamped the plan behind closed doors.
