COUNCIL LEADER MUST APOLOGISE FOR MISLEADING PEOPLE OVER ARC CHARGES

LABOUR CALLS FOR IVOR HYSLOP TO WITHDRAW SERIOUS ALLEGATION

Local MP Russell Brown has called on Council Leader Ivor Hyslop to apologise for misleading people over ARC charges.

Last week Labour revealed that an ARC user had received a final reminder notice for payment, despite the charges being suspended. This provoked an attack from the Council Leader, who accused Labour of being ‘highly irresponsible’ and not checking their facts.

However, despite claiming to have checked with the Director of Social Work, the Council Leader has now had to admit that a final reminder letter was sent out.

Russell Brown has written to the Council Leader demanding that he withdraw his serious allegation that he and and Councillor David McKie were being ‘highly irresponsible’ for raising the issue last week.

This is the latest in a string of blunders by the Council Leader on the ARC charges issue. In June, prior the suspension of charges, Councillor Hyslop incorrectly stated that the charges were already on hold and had to be corrected by his Social Work Chairman.

Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown said:

“This is a humiliating u-turn by the Council Leader. When Labour revealed last week that an ARC user had received a final reminder letter for payment, despite the charges being suspended, Councillor Hyslop put out an angry statement accusing us of not checking our facts. He categorically stated he had checked with the Director of Social Work and said Labour was being ‘highly irresponsible’ for highlighting the issue.

“He has now had to admit that, infact, we were correct and a final reminder letter has been sent out.

“Ivor Hyslop was quick enough to accuse us when he thought we were wrong, will he now withdraw his serious allegation? He must apologise for misleading people yet again over ARC charges.

“If he was wrong about one reminder letter, does that mean there could be more that we don’t yet know about? The Council is lurching from one crisis to the next and there is a complete leadership vacuum. People have lost all confidence in the Council to handle this fiasco.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. See this week’s Stranraer and Wigtownshire Free Press, page 7. (attached)

2. Letter from Russell Brown to Ivor Hyslop

Dear Ivor

As you know, last week Councillor David McKie and I revealed that an ARC user had received a final reminder notice for Activity Resource Centre charges, despite them being suspended.

In response, you issued a press statement that accused us of being ‘highly irresponsible’ and not checking our facts.

However, this week you have had to admit that, infact, we were correct and a final reminder letter has been sent out.

To say that myself and Councillor McKie were being ‘highly irresponsible’ and making ‘misleading public comments’ is extremely serious. I hope you will now publically withdraw these allegations.

If you were incorrect about one final reminder letter, how can we be sure no others have been sent out? Furthermore, this is yet another blunder in what has become a catalogue of mistakes with ARC charges. It is time that, as Council Leader, you apologise to ARC users for the anxiety the Council has caused them.

I look forward to your prompt reply.

Yours sincerely

Russell Brown
MP for Dumfries and Galloway

3. Ivor Hyslop’s comments last week:

“Having checked with the Director of Social Work, I can confirm that the collection of all charges attributable to ARC services was suspended. If Labour had taken the trouble to check the facts as I have done, they could have avoided making these misleading public comments. Their actions are highly irresponsible and may be viewed as making cheap political points and further raising anxiety within a very vulnerable group of people. They should apologise now for their actions in this regard.”

Ivor Hyslop’s comments this week:

“I was not made aware of this single invoice.”

4. Attached – copy of final reminder letter sent out by the Council.