Practise what you preach challenge to Council Leader

12.00.00am GMT Wed 14th Nov 2007

"Before your preach - practise what you preach!"

That's the challenge made to the Leader of Essex County Council, Lord Hanningfield, by Colchester MP Bob Russell.

Mr Russell has written an open letter to Lord Hanningfield after the Conservative Leader issued a statement complaining that: "For too long now decisions have been made by people centrally who have no clue what is needed locally."

Liberal Democrat Mr Russell has responded by saying: "I agree. It is a charge which the people of Colchester can level at County Hall, Chelmsford, where Essex County Councillors - with little or no knowledge of Colchester - have made decisions against the wishes and interests of residents."

Although Lord Hanningfield was referring to decisions by central Government, Mr Russell says the same thing applies in respect of County Hall decisions affecting Colchester.

He has told Lord Hanningfield: "It is your actions which need to be looked at - not your rhetoric."

Mr Russell pointed out that this year the County Council had shut the Record Office in Colchester and transferred to Chelmsford the archives of Britain's Oldest Recorded Town, despite opposition by Colchester residents.

In addition, the County Council had agreed to close the Adult Education Community College at Grey Friars despite the wishes of Colchester residents who wanted to keep the College at Grey Friars.

And in response to a further comment from Lord Hanningfield - who had said that "Local decisions need to be made by local people who have a knowledge and understanding of what is best for their residents" - Mr Russell challenged him over the future of the Alderman Blaxill and Thomas Lord Audley Schools in Colchester which the County wants to shut and replace with a so-called School Academy. These proposals have already generated considerable local opposition.

In his open letter to the Leader of Essex County Council, Mr Russell said: "So that you cannot be accused of double standards, nor of humbug and hypocrisy, you can - at a stroke - implement your own words, namely that local decisions need to be made by local people.

"Or are you going to say that, from your office at County Hall, you know better than the people of Colchester? Some people would consider that to be arrogance."

Mr Russell ended his letter to Lord Hanningfield with a further challenge: "How about returning to Colchester Borough Council the highways powers which the County Council took away in recent years? What a nonsense that matters such as a pothole in a road, a damaged pavement or a broken street light are now dealt with by the County Council and not the Borough Council. So there you have it. Let's see you practise what you preach."