During the first Ulverston Town Council meeting of this year the setting of the budget for 2017/18 took place. While pay and pension increases are being held at single figure amounts of one to three per cent the Labour controlled administration pushed through a massive 10 per cent increase. The council and Labour leader councillor Colin Pickthall said: “It is only an increase of £4.42.”

The increase is to meet the Labour Party wish list including:

• £9,000 towards repairing pavements in the town. Why when it is a county council responsibility? We are paying through our charges for the county council to do this work as it is their responsibility.

• £2,000 to repair a footpath which the town council do not own. Why?

• £10,000 towards a cycleway from the canal towards Greenodd.

The District Council have been requested to improve the toilets in the Market Hall on many occasions, but typically they have failed to do, handing the Market Hall over to Ulverston Community Enterprise.

After managing the Market Hall since 1974, SLDC has failed to improve the Market Hall toilets. Ulverston Mayor Councillor Wilson used his casting vote to push through a £10,000 grant to help SLDC's work towards SLDC's £11,500 contribution improving the toilets. Ulverston loses out again.

Councillor Norman Bishop-Rowe

Sands Road

Ulverston