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Congleton Liberal DemocratsCampaigning all year round for the people of Congleton, Holmes Chapel, Alsager, Middlewich, Sandbach and surrounding areas. |
Funding Cuts for our Canals Condemned
November 25, 2009 8:46 PM
Dr Peter Hirst, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for Congleton is furious about the Government's reduction in the grant to British Waterways next year that is bound to effect canal maintenance in the Congleton area.
Grant funding from DEFRA will be cut from £57.5M to £47.8M at a time when The Inland Waterways Association estimates there is already an annual deficit of £20M - £30M just to maintain the network in a steady state of repair.
Canals should be preserved for future generations
He says, "Our part of Cheshire is rich in the number and length of canals it contains. It is part of our heritage and deserves to be protected.
He continues, "This is a deep cut to an already deficient budget. It means that the valuable work done by British Waterways and voluntary groups over the last decade to enhance our canals could be lost.
"It is a false economy to skimp on canal maintenance because of the economic crisis. Instead, it is an opportunity to create jobs by enriching our canals and their tow paths as has been done recently in Middlewich.
He concludes, "Canals are becoming increasingly important for economic, transport, health, environmental, leisure, tourist and cultural reasons. They are a public amenity that should be preserved for future generations."
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