A PROMINENT county councillor, and former Mayor of Chepstow, has angrily criticised a Conservative Party website, which accuses people in debt of being "tossers". Counc Armand Watts, who contacted The Beacon to express his concern at the Tory website, launched last week, said it failed to take into account the fact that across the country there had been an alarming 47% increase in the number of new consumer credit debt problems over the last five years, and latest indications are that this number continued to rise. He said many wealthy towns and counties could often mask the problem of credit debt. Monmouthshire was one of the wealthiest counties in the region. Yet, this year Monmouthshire's Citizens Advice Bureau's dealt with just under £5, which makes it one the highest credit debtors in the region. "Sadly for most people the main triggers for debt problems can be a change of circumstance such as job loss, ill health or relationship breakdown, as well as over-commitment and poor money management. "The level of their credit commitments relative to income mean that for many it can take only a 10% drop in income to tip them over the edge of making manageable payments for their debt problems." Worryingly, many trying to cope with their debt problems are still encouraged to borrow more by borrowing more by lenders. Counc Watts said debt problems could lead people to seek help from their local GP. Many said they were suffering stress, depression and anxiety. People can also find that their relationships breakdown, with feelings of isolation and the stress from living on a very tight budget. The Welsh border Town of Chepstow has a population of approx eighteen thousand and has some of the highest house prices in Wales but is a prime example of rising debt. This year alone Chepstow Citizens Advice Bureau dealt with £1.9m of debt. Counc Watts said "I think most decent people realise that there are times in everyone's life when it can be a struggle to make ends meet. "Students, single parents, and pensioners are just some within our society that find it financially difficult at the best of times. Many have loans or are close to their credit limit, should they be branded less adequate, absolutely not. Why can't the Conseratives show some compassion ?" He added "When you think Christmas is just around the corner and people are worried about how to make ends meet, the Tories couldn't have chosen a worst time to lauch a political stunt like this. What people need is good advice and they can get that from their local Citizens Adivse Bureau". He added: "It is worth noting that the Conservative Party's own debts are running at approx. £18.m. Its pension scheme also has a deficit of £5m". A PROMINENT county councillor, and former Mayor of Chepstow, has angrily criticised a Conservative Party website, which accuses people in debt of being "tossers". Counc Armand Watts, who contacted The Beacon to express his concern at the Tory website, launched last week, said it failed to take into account the fact that across the country there had been an alarming 47% increase in the number of new consumer credit debt problems over the last five years, and latest indications are that this number continued to rise. He said many wealthy towns and counties could often mask the problem of credit debt. Monmouthshire was one of the wealthiest counties in the region. Yet, this year Monmouthshire's Citizens Advice Bureau's dealt with just under £5, which makes it one the highest credit debtors in the region. "Sadly for most people the main triggers for debt problems can be a change of circumstance such as job loss, ill health or relationship breakdown, as well as over-commitment and poor money management. "The level of their credit commitments relative to income mean that for many it can take only a 10% drop in income to tip them over the edge of making manageable payments for their debt problems." Worryingly, many trying to cope with their debt problems are still encouraged to borrow more by borrowing more by lenders. Counc Watts said debt problems could lead people to seek help from their local GP. Many said they were suffering stress, depression and anxiety. People can also find that their relationships breakdown, with feelings of isolation and the stress from living on a very tight budget. The Welsh border Town of Chepstow has a population of approx eighteen thousand and has some of the highest house prices in Wales but is a prime example of rising debt. This year alone Chepstow Citizens Advice Bureau dealt with £1.9m of debt. Counc Watts said "I think most decent people realise that there are times in everyone's life when it can be a struggle to make ends meet. "Students, single parents, and pensioners are just some within our society that find it financially difficult at the best of times. Many have loans or are close to their credit limit, should they be branded less adequate, absolutely not. Why can't the Conseratives show some compassion ?" He added "When you think Christmas is just around the corner and people are worried about how to make ends meet, the Tories couldn't have chosen a worst time to lauch a political stunt like this. What people need is good advice and they can get that from their local Citizens Adivse Bureau". He added: "It is worth noting that the Conservative Party's own debts are running at approx. £18.m. Its pension scheme also has a deficit of £5m". Nick Ramsay, who lives at Raglan and who is a County Councillor as well as being the prospective Tory Assembly candidate for Monmouth, defended the website. "It's a staggering statistic but the total personal debt in the UK has now risen to over £1 trillion" he said on Tuesday. "Changing the debt culture is without doubt one of the most difficult challenges we face. We may argue about different ways of doing this but reaching out and engaging young people in this process is going to be essential if it is to succeed. "Let's not forget the reason why young people in their early 20s in particular are in so much debt. The average student leaves university with a debt of £13,501 and the National Union of Students predicts that by 2010 that will have risen to a massive £33,708. "It's hardly surprising that young people have so little motivation to be prudent when they are starting out their adult life deeply in the red simply because they wanted to better themselves by going to university".
