News item 3rd September 2008

Concessionary Rail Travel
The TRUE FACTS…..

In response to the statement by West Lothian Labour Group to the 50 Plus Network on 29th. August, 2008 we are disgusted to see their continued misleading and insincere rants, which, quite frankly, have no basis in fact.

They allege that the West Lothian Council Administration of SNP, Conservative and ASSJH members, HAS voted to remove the Concessionary Rail Travel Scheme. That is a LIE. For a start, the Conservative, Provost Tom Kerr is not a member of the Executive, and could not therefor vote for anything!

What did happen was that a paper was presented by officers to make recommendations on efficiencies for the 2009/10 budget for further consideration. The Labour Group did table an amendment, and the ASSJH councillors asked that they modify the amendment to remove item 1 which would have seen the WHOLE BUDGET set back for many months.

If they had simply asked for the removal of the line-item relating to the Concessionary Rail Travel Scheme, we would have supported them. However, they REFUSED. They weren’t interested in protecting the Concessionary Scheme. They were more interested in petty politicking with the emotions and frailties of a section of the community their party is allegedly committed to protecting.

“FURY AS COUNCIL POISED TO SCRAP CHEAP RAIL FARES.”

No, this isn’t a recent headline. This is one from 2004, when under the Labour Administration, THEY DID CUT the Concessionary Rail Travel Scheme. Talk about hypocrisy!

Our decision on the Budget will be taken in February 2009. This decision will be taken at a meeting of the full Council. It is to be hoped that the Labour Group will read their papers in advance of the 2009 Budget Setting Meeting of the Council, unlike this year, where they voted for efficiencies they later carped about in the press. Their defence?

THEY HADN’T READ THE COMMITTEE PAPERS!

We have already publicly stated that we will not support the removal of the Concessionary Rail Travel Scheme. We have agreed that a wide ranging consultation will take place on how we deliver services to the elderly population in West Lothian. Unlike some, we will honour our commitment, and we will LISTEN to what the people of West Lothian consider their priorities to be.

AND WE WILL DELIVER!