Farron in key summit to save Kendal Tax Offices

2.09.16pm GMT Tue 16th Sep 2008

South Lakes MP Tim Farron met today with senior Treasury Officials, Paul Smyth and David Gillon to fight for the retention of Kendal's threatened tax offices. The offices employ around 40 people.

During the meeting, held at the Liberal Democrats' party conference in Bournemouth, Tim persuaded the officials to take the case for retaining a tax in Kendal to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Jane Kennedy MP. He also extracted a promise from the officials that they intended there would be no compulsory redundancies at Kendal.

Tim gave a welcome to the Treasury's promise that a tax office Enquiries Unit would now be retained in Kendal, although that might only provide jobs for half a dozen people.

Speaking after the meeting, Tim said: "Closing Kendal's tax offices would be a massive blow to our local economy by taking away important local jobs and reducing the support and advice available to local businesses. If the Kendal offices close, staff would have the choice of working at Carlisle, Preston or leaving Revenue and Customs altogether. This is completely unacceptable. I am encouraged by my meeting, but I am also determined to keep up the fight to safeguard our excellent local tax offices and the first class people who work there."