Council Stand-Off Is Not Helping Local Print Businesses

8.49.00am GMT Tue 16th Mar 2010

Richard Burt has called on Malvern Hills District Council leaders to give a clear guarantee that council printers will not take work away from local businesses by using resources paid for by the tax-payer.

Richard said the current stand-off between local printers and council leaders showed a "clear disregard on their part for the future of local jobs and businesses."

"I have spoken to long-standing customers of Aspect Design in Malvern who strongly object to any suggestion that Malvern Hills District Council is undercutting these businesses, especially if it as the expense of the taxpayer," said Mr Burt.

"Without a clear undertaking from the Council not to undercut local firms for commercial work, the fear is that jobs and businesses will be lost.

"At a time of fragile economic recovery, the last thing the council should be doing is taking the bread and butter out of the mouths of local businesses."

"Where graphic design work is involved, who is paying for it? If it is the taxpayer again, this is completely unacceptable."