Draft Budget Fails to Impress North Wales - Burnham (Eleanor Burnham )

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Eleanor Burnham <info@eburnham.org.uk>

Draft Budget Fails to Impress North Wales - Burnham

October 18, 2006 1:05 PM

Draft Budget Fails to Impress North Wales- Burnham

Eleanor Burnham AM has responded with disappointment following the draft budget announced by Finance Minister Sue Essex yesterday.

Ms Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, criticised the budget for its notable failures in meeting crucial investment priorities across the region, including schools, the ambulance service and public transport.

Ms Burnham commented: "I'm very disappointed that the Labour Assembly Government has put forward proposals which fail to reflect the needs of North Wales.

"A government without a majority should not announce a budget where all the money is spent - and then start negotiating. A sensible minority government negotiates from the beginning. The Welsh Assembly Government needs to look again at where their proposals are letting down the people of North Wales.

"Personally, I would like to see more concrete support for the Wrexham to London direct rail link, although the government has failed so far to provide this.

"We in the Welsh Liberal Democrats believe this budget fails to meet a number of key points which I have been highlighting in North Wales for many months.

"Key priorities for the government should include improving the quality of learning by giving schools back the money they are expected to save through greater efficiency, investing enough money to give people in the region an ambulance service that is truly fit for purpose and closing the funding gap between higher education institutions in Wales and in England.

"These are the funding areas I have been lobbying for and I will continue to put pressure on the Government to match the needs and wants of people in North Wales."

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