RESPONSE TO CLLR REID : LETTERS PAGE 20th April - Liverpool Echo Cllrs Steve Radford , Hazel Williams and Chris Lenton Liberal Party Group 41 Sutton Street Tuebrook Liverpool L13 7EG 0151 259 5935 07920090322 Dear Editor, In Cllr Reid's attack on the article by Lawrence Westgraph he states "Much progress has been made but people who do well and people with families will still move out unless they have choice. Not everyone wants to live in a small or larger terraced house. I do agree with Mr Westgaph that there should be more refurbishment and less demolition. Refurbishment is now a better option for more houses." We fear Cllr Reid's comments are designed to give a misleading impression of Lib Dem policy just prior to the local elections. The fact is at the last city council budgetary debate, we in the Liberal Party ,moved an amendment that in respect of the projected £110millions spend on the pathfinder project that more money be spent on renovation rather than demolition. Cllr Reid did not support us and nor did his Lib Dem Group, who along with the Labour Group voted against us. At the moment in Anfield three and a half times more money is being spent on buying people out of their homes and creating nothing more than a building site , than is spent on renovating properties. The Skerries Road and more recent Tancred road developments are much welcome exceptions, however they are rare exceptions to the rows of blighted streets In Anfield the regeneration cllr Reid has supported has resulted in the collapse of local shops and businesses. Over 60% of the people are moved out of the area altogether. The resulting depopulation is now resulting in the merger of local schools As for choice, the deliberate boarding up of properties followed by compulsory purchase orders shows the Lib Dem's contempt for choice. The reason for the decline in the area is often crime and inadequate housing management. Moving anti-social families from one area to another solves nothing, However it is making a few national building companies alot of money, Demolishing the homes of the poorest communities does not solve poverty but just forces the disposed into greater poverty. Lawrence Westgraph deserves praise for his article for exposing this blatant waste Cllrs Steve Radford, Hazel Williams and Chrs Lenton Opposition Liberal Party Group