Cough up for hospice, councillors urged: VOTE

The move follows the revelation that the closure of the borough-run laundry service will cost the hospice an extra £18,000 a year.

Last week the knives were out for borough council leader Roger Stone who admitted last month that he and a “number” of other councillors did not realise that the hospice was a customer of the service when the axe fell.

Now Cllr Thirlwall is asking all councillors to follow his lead and gift aid the extra money from allowances to the hospice to foot the laundry shortfall—something he has been doing since last March.

He said, in an e-mail to members: “A situation has developed where, due to the council’s decision to close the laundry service, Rotherham Hospice will now have to find a further £18,000 a year.

“I have been gift-aiding the increase received in my allowances and if all councillors were to do the same it would raise £23,000 a year.

“As stated by the leader, many of you were unaware of the implications that closing the laundry would have on the hospice and making the above donation would go some way to rectifying the situation.”

But the leader of the Conservative Group, Cllr John Gilding, slammed the move as “distasteful.”

He said: “Having checked with members of the Conservative Group, I am told that they all already generously contribute to several charities including Cancer Research. 

“Some members are trustees of local charities and are actively involved in their operations.

“I think it somewhat distasteful that the hospice should be used for political advancement.”

A spokeswoman for the Labour Group said that many members already made their own arrangements in subscribing to causes, which was a “voluntary and personal” decision.  

She added: “The Labour Group is confident that its members will consider the current suggestion and make their own informed decision.

“It would be inappropriate for the Labour Group to prescribe how an individual member should allocate her or his allowance.

“It is spurious to connect councillors' allowances to changes in service provision. 

“From the numerous service changes that have taken place it is nothing but political gesturing for Cllr Thirlwall to choose one which is associated with the more vulnerable residents of our town.”

In response, Cllr Thirlwall said: “This is a political issue, it was this council that closed the laundry service and the reason I have singled out the hospice is because they are the ones who have suffered from the decision.”

This latest suggestion follows on from an 800-name petition organised by Cllr Thirlwall and independent campaigner Michael Sylvester in February last year urging councillors not to accept an increase in allowances while Rotherham folk were suffering hard times.

At the time, despite job losses at several major companies, the suggestion was overruled and councillors accepted the increase with the deputy council leader, Cllr Terry Sharman, stating: “We earn our corn.”

The borough council’s proposal to scrap the in-house laundry service was met with months of fierce opposition from campaigners.

But despite the uproar, a decision was taken last November to end the service and just a month later the borough’s laundry service came to a standstill.

Speaking at a recent council meeting, Cllr John Doyle, cabinet member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “This service was losing £200,000 a year and was providing a service to 180 people. That just can't make sense.

“We are in the business of providing services to the vulnerable people in Rotherham at the most economical cost we can.

“The provisions we have put in place will provide a better service at a lower cost.”

SITE HIGHLIGHTS

Rotherham road gritting cut back.

Big freeze continues.

SNOW PICTURES SPECIAL. Click here for picture galleries of your winter photographs.

Do you agree that Rotherham's telly-on-a stick should be switched off? Cast your vote.

New Year hope for Firbeck Hall.

How much do you love Rotherham?

Fears for sight of Rotherham snooker ace.

Today's sport.

Back to main news index.