Cheering in the council chamber

Dear sir - While reading Hilary McGrath’s article in last week’s edition and 'her’ description of my actions in Navan Town Council, a quote from Winston Churchill’s came to mind: “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” Ms McGrath’s omission of facts in her article obviously resulted in a particular picture being painted. For the record, Cllr Francis Deane did not suggest any such thing as free parking as he withdrew his motion off the council table. He had no figures to pay for his notion and with no accounts - or indeed motion - on the table there was nothing for councillors to reach consensus on. Anyone can express sympathy with business people who are struggling but you can’t lodge sympathy in your bank account. Since promising people free parking in Navan to get elected, Cllr Deane has not only failed to deliver this but actually done the opposite and increased parking charges in Kennedy Road. Keeping costs down is the best way to help the local economy and stimulate growth. Last year, I proposed a balanced budget that did exactly that but Cllr Deane and his colleagues took another route. I am now appealing to all sides to produce a budget this year that reduces charges in order to help business people in a meaningful way and maintain employment. Now that is something that would be worth cheering about in the chamber. Yours, Cllr Shane Cassells MCC, Navan.