County wants your opinions (unless you live in South Cambridgeshire)

4.38.28pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 20th Oct 2008

Following a number of attempts by the Liberal Democrats to have the latest residents' Budget Consultation extended to the south of the county, the County Council have refused to take measures to ask the opinion of Council Taxpayers in South Cambridgeshire.

County Councillor and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats on South Cambridgeshire District Council, John Batchelor, has made written requests for the consultation to be extended to his District, but these requests have been denied.

South Cambridgeshire, rightly proud of its' more than 100 villages, doesn't have any Market Towns, so - it gets no consultation sessions at all, thus effectively disenfranchising more than 20% of the county's population!

David Jenkins, Lib Dem County Group Leader who represents the South Cambridgeshire villages of Cottenham, Histon, Impington, Oakington and Rampton comments, 'We have given the County Council every opportunity to change this silly error and hold at least one consultation in South Cambs, but they have refused to do so.'

'So I'm challenging Tory Leader Jill Tuck. Let's go out together and consult residents. Wherever you want. Caldecote, Hardwick, Comberton, Sawston, Cambourne or Melbourn. Whenever you want. And I will bring a team of Lib Dem councillors along, ready, willing and able to listen to the public. But then we usually do. Do you?'