Tories say Economic Action Plan can wait!

Brentwood's Liberal Democrat councillors have expressed anger and frustration after their motion calling for the Borough Council to publish an action plan highlighting what measures they intend to take to help Brentwood residents and businesses meet the challenges faced by the credit crunch and the ongoing economic crisis was deferred to a meeting in February.

The motion was down for discussion at Wednesday's Full Council meeting when it could have been properly debated by all the members, but the Mayor decided it should be deferred along with the two others on the agenda.

Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr David Kendall said:

" With many of our residents and businesses facing serious problems in the current economic climate, they are quite rightly expecting the Borough Council to give them all the help and support they can. I wanted the Council to spell out what specific measures they are taking to:

• Tackle the housing crisis

• Support local businesses

• Bring forward planned investment to drive the local economy

• Support residents facing financial difficulties.

The fact that this matter has now been deferred suggests a lack of urgency by the Council and sends out all the wrong signals. We need to get on with helping people now not sometime in February"