Tories Refuse to Help Businesses

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 8th Sep 2009

David Rendel and Sharon Bowles MEP want to support local businesses

Twice at last Thursday's Executive meeting of West Berkshire Council the Conservative administration demonstrated their lack of support for local businesses in the recession.

First they refused to respond to the briefing sent in by the Chamber of Commerce. The briefing said "The Council has at the very least a moral and ethical duty and probably a legal liability to refund contributions and should proactively address this issue. This would be seen by the public and businesses in West Berkshire as positive support for business in the recession."

Secondly in answer to a question from Liberal Democrat councillor David Rendel, they refused to consider the possibility of accepting any delay in payment of business rates, if firms are hit by a massive temporary loss of staff in the re-emergence of the Swine flu pandemic expected this autumn.

Commenting after the meeting, David Rendel said "The Conservatives have always claimed to be the party of business. But whenever they are in power the truth always comes out. They may offer advice, but when it comes to hard cash, it is easier to squeeze water out of a stone".