{"id":1899,"date":"2014-02-21T07:56:03","date_gmt":"2014-02-21T07:56:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cardiffian.jomec.co.uk\/?p=1899"},"modified":"2014-02-21T07:56:03","modified_gmt":"2014-02-21T07:56:03","slug":"govier-lashes-at-parents-over-referendum-on-play-centres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2014\/02\/21\/govier-lashes-at-parents-over-referendum-on-play-centres\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardiff council's Govier lashes out at parents over play centre referendum"},"content":{"rendered":"

Councillor Ashley Govier has hit out out at parents for seeking referendum on the future of play centres ahead of next week\u2019s key vote.
\nDays before parents in Grangetown meet in an attempt to gather 150 signatures to trigger a local referendum, Coun Govier attacked their decision to continue their campaign despite the Council\u2019s announcement to keep the centres open for a year.
\nHe said: \u201cThis referendum is a waste of money and waste of time.\u201d
\n\u201cAll they\u2019re going to do is cause the centre more problems, they\u2019re going to put the centre more at risk.\u201d
\nHe warned the referendum would cost \u00a320,000, which he said the council does not have. \u201cWhat\u2019s the point of doing it now?\u201d
\n\u201cIt\u2019s irresponsible, let\u2019s work constructively.\u201d
\nIn response to Coun Govier\u2019s attack, mother-of-three Deb Cummings, 45, said: \u201cWhen Mr Govier stated during a phonecall the cost of referendum and how he thinks it is a waste of money, it did make me feel very bad, as it\u2019s \u2018the people\u2019s’ money that pays for it. But I feel the children of Cardiff, not just children in my area, have the right to a play centre, somewhere safe off the streets\u201d
\n

\"Grangetown