Sponsored by
'Griping homeless' council website slur
WYRE Council has once again landed itself in hot water after staff branded the homeless as "griping".
The remark was made as part of a supposedly fun reworking of the carol Twelve Days of Christmas, published on the authority's in-house website.
It has sparked outrage from one councillor, who accused Wyre bosses of bigotry.
Coun Ruth Duffy, who last year complained when Fiona Kinder, a member of the Civic Centre team, accused benefit seekers of being "illiterate" believes Wyre has not learned it's lesson.
She said: "I couldn't believe what I was reading. There is a revamp of the Twelve Days of Christmas and they've called it Care and Repair's All Too Real Christmas Carol.
"It is fine until you get to the eleventh day of Christmas, where it states 'Eleven Homeless Griping'.
"Once again, and despite the outrage at Fiona Kinder's remarks, Wyre Council has allowed another one of its thoughtless staff to come out with an absolutely outrageous and disgraceful statement."
Members of the public were not able to see the song as it was published on the Civic Centre's internal "intranet" site, only accessible to members of staff and councillors.
But Coun Duffy has written to Wyre Council's leader Russell Forsyth and chief executive Jim Corry about the remarks.
She said: "Leaders at Wyre Council must be aware of what gets published on their website.
"This is just not acceptable.
"We've requested this feature be removed at once.
"We also suggest this ditty shows this may be a symptom of an endemic problem that is prevailing within Wyre Council.
"How on earth can Wyre justify its staff making such statements and, worse still, posting them on its own intranet.
"Even if said in jest, these remarks are ill thought-out and insulting."
Aware
Coun Forsyth said he was not aware of the article, but has asked chief executive Jim Corry to investigate.
He said: "This is nothing to do with myself or any of the councillors.
"I was not aware of what was published, but having had it brought to my attention
"I've asked Mr Corry to look into the matter. That will happen when he returns to work today."
Lancaster and Wyre MP, Ben Wallace, said he would also take up the issue with Wyre Council.
He said: "Wyre has a very good record in helping homeless people.
"But it's a source of great concern that vulnerable people would be referred to in this way.
"I will be taking the issue up with Wyre Council's chief executive in the new year."
Ms Kinder was forced to apologise last year after making the "illiterate" comments at a meeting of the council's Corporate Watchdog Committee.
At the meeting, during discussions about the centre which handles Wyre's benefits claims, she said: "The majority of benefit claimants are illiterate."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: North west
