A COUNCILLOR has complained to police about a rival party’s election leaflet.
Lib Dem Clr Rochelle Parchment contacted officers after seeing the Spring edition of the Dalton Rose newsletter.
The Labour leaflet claims she voted in favour of controversial children’s centres cuts earlier this year.
But Clr Parchment – who rebelled against her party to vote against the cuts – last night demanded an apology.
The Dalton Lib Dem said: “I’m absolutely disgusted with the leaflet.
“I’ve put in a lot of work with parents and Unison campaigning on this issue and the leaflet questions my integrity.
“I don’t want people to think I’m saying one thing in public and doing something else behind closed doors.
“The leaflet is misinformation and it’s damaging. I would like a public apology and for them to admit that it’s wrong.”
The newsletter is being distributed around the Dalton ward in the run-up to the May 3 elections, when Clr Parchment will defend her seat.
The leaflet claims Labour-run Kirklees has protected children’s centres despite funding cuts from the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition Government.
It includes the allegation that Clr Parchment supported reducing the Sure Start budget.
Under a section headed “The Facts”, the leaflet claims: “In 2012, Con-Dem government cut even deeper into the funding for Childrens Centres by reducing the budget for Kirklees by £725,000. The Dalton LibDem councillor voted for these cuts at the Kirklees budget.”
Last month the council’s Labour Cabinet backed a proposal to cut children’s centres spending in Kirklees by £725,000 in 2012/13.
Officials plan to make the savings by reducing management numbers rather than cutting services or closing any of the 32 children’s centres.
Council officers proposed the Sure Start spending reduction as part of a package of savings at the annual budget meeting in February.
Clr Parchment’s party put forward an amended plan which would have changed some of the spending cuts. However, the Lib Dems did not propose reversing the children’s centres savings.
