MR ROBERT KANDT AND LIBERAL DEMOCRAT RETIREMENT POLICY

That this House deeply regrets the forced retirement of Robert Kandt, the distinguished Clerk of Barnoldswick Town Council; notes his wish to carry on in post beyond his 65th birthday in the belief that he has much still to contribute; is appalled by the way in which the Liberal Democrat-controlled council has comprehensively ignored the Liberal Democrat Party's 2005 Manifesto for Older People which states `It is a gross indignity to subscribe to the notion that a person's contribution to society, and indeed the economy, stops when you reach 65'; further notes the manifesto goes on to assert that the Liberal Democrat Party will end the sudden cliff edge of retirement that forces people to stop working at a certain age, whether they want to or not, and will promote a flexible decade of retirement, where arbitrary retirement ages are scrapped and age discrimination legislation is enforced; and, in the light of this, believes that Barnoldswick Town Council should reconsider its earlier decision and re-instate Mr Kandt as its clerk.