Southport Conservatives are calling for an urgent investigation after letter sent with Council tax

Southport Conservatives are calling for an urgent investigation into the recent publication and delivery of a letter by Councillor Ian Maher, to over 129,000 households across Sefton, which accompanied the recently delivered Council Tax Bills. 

Councillors Mike Prendergast and Tony Brough have out forward a motion at this week's Council meeting asking for the investigation as they believe the letter sent out by Councillor Maher is party political and there are strict rules regarding the use of public money for party political purposes that they feel may have been breached.

Councillor Mike Prendergast said, "The letter sent out by Cllr Maher is full of party-political points and is clearly designed to put forward the agenda of Sefton Labour. If this was all within a leaflet prepared and paid for by Sefton Labour then no one would have a problem with it, we are all experienced local campaigners and it's right that we have a healthy debate about each parties' policies and ideas. 

However, the letter has been sent out with the Council Tax Bills at a cost to the local tax payer with a Sefton Council logo emblazoned across it. Within the letter, Councillor Maher is bemoaning the lack of resources, yet he has managed to find the time and resources to send out party political literature, coincidentally arriving just as the local election campaign period begins.

Councillor Tony Brough said, 'The Local Government Act 1986 makes it very clear that this sort of literature cannot be sent out by a local authority so we are calling for an urgent investigation to see if there has been any breaches of the legislation of the legislation and the accompanying code of conduct. 

The people of Sefton have a right to know that their money is being spent properly and not on party political campaign material when it could be used for so many other vital services."