LIB DEM campaigners in Solihull have reacted with astonishment, saying Conservative activists have claimed credit for 13 years of their hard work.
Councillor Laura McCarthy (Lib Dem, Elmdon) said for 13 years her colleague Coun Glenis Slater had been campaigning with local residents to prevent rat run drivers, hoping to beat traffic congestion on the A45, diving down residential Rangoon Road and Valley Road.
“I have been working on this for three years, Glenis for 13, we’ve sent hundreds of emails about it, knocked on doors, drew up an online petition and now finally the council has agreed to spend close to £13,000 to try and find a solution to the problem, which is fantastic,” said Coun McCarthy.
“Then the other night Conservative campaigners put a post up on social media and shared it across Elmdon claiming credit for it, saying they had done a traffic survey and this was the result.
“Why did they do this when the independent report names myself and Glenis and gives us the credit along with the local community?
“It’s really frustrating, particularly as their claims are so easy to disprove.”
However Coun Ken Hawkins (Con, Blythe) Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways, who used to represent the Elmdon ward, said he had been working on the very same issue as early as 2002.
“The truth is Rangoon Road and Valley Road have been on the council’s radar for a very long time and I’m really happy that at last this issue, which isn’t an easy one, is moving up the agenda,” he said.
“Both the Liberal Democrat councillors and our activist, Yvonne Clements, have been working on this, so it’s wrong to say she hasn’t done anything, and the Lib Dems should apologise.
“It’s joined up thinking, it’s people working together for the benefit for the community and both the Lib Dems and our ward campaigners have worked to bring this up the agenda.”
