This is a press release from Newbury Labour Party, reproduced in full without editorial comment:
"Significant council borrowing and debt has led to deeper cuts" - That's the message from West Berkshire Labour spokesman Richard Garvie.
West Berkshire Labour Party have today given their response to a huge cuts package announced today by Conservative controlled West Berkshire District Council. Cuts of £8.9m will be made in the 2012/13 financial year if budget proposals are approved by Conservative and Lib Dem councillors at a meeting next Thursday, and Labour spokesman Richard Garvie is calling on members of the public to protest to their elected representatives before it's too late.
Speaking on the cuts package, Mr Garvie expressed his concern about the effect certain funding reductions will have on the vulnerable. "Cuts of £2m to the adult social care budget will greatly affect the most vulnerable in society who have already been hit by massive cuts over the past 18 months. Cuts to children centres, Connexions and a 10% reduction to the Youth Offending Team will hit young people and families. Over and above those cuts, the Conservative administration are also playing roulette with housing and commissioning, even to the point where they are reducing funding to facilities such as the women's refuge. What this Conservative administration is showing is that they are more concerned with running up tens of millions of pounds worth of debt by going on a property spending spree which has resulted in far deeper cuts to public services. I don't think anyone in West Berkshire will believe that is the right thing to do".
The Labour Party continue to argue that in times of austerity, West Berkshire District Council should be looking to reduce the amount of debt, not increase it by spending millions of pounds on property and other non essential spending. By increasing public debt by such a significant amount, the council must pay substantially higher debt interest payments which in turn results in a significant reduction of money in the general budget for essential items such as public services. The Conservative administration also rejected Labour proposals that West Berkshire District Council should share it's Chief Executive and the possibility of further savings created by working with other local authorities. The Conservative administration have also refused to look at a reduction in the number of elected members and political advisers, which could also save between £250,000 and £500,000 per year. |
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