We can improve the Council and the Town

11.12.06pm GMT Sun 4th Feb 2007

Tony Woods is confident Lib Dems can improve the Council & Town

The Leader of the Northampton Group on Northampton Borough Council, Cllr Tony Woods, is confident that, despite the many problems afflicting the Council, he and his Liberal Democrat team have the policies and abilities to turn the Council round if given a mandate to do so in May's local Council elections.

The Council's Conservative administration is being hit by crisis after crisis. In recent weeks these have included a leaked government report showing that the Council is perhaps the worst performing Council in the country; a budget deficit of over £3M; botched public consultation on this budget with concerns that if the proposed cuts go ahead Northampton would become a dirtier, less safe cultural desert. The Conservative administration have no solutions - they look increasingly like a rabbit caught in the headlights. After 4 years of failure the public have the opportunity to throw them out on 3 May 2007.

Likewise, Labour have no solutions. They are asking the government to step in and solve the problem for us. Typically, they are unwilling to take any responsibility despite driving NBC into the ground during their 12 years in control of NBC from 1991 to 2003 - 12 years of waste, crazy, egotistical schemes (guided buses, millennium bridges and pyramids in the park to name but three) and gross mismanagement.

Recently Tony Woods wrote to the Herald & Post saying "The only solution to Northampton Borough Council's problems is to elect Councillors in May who are realistic about the current problems, willing and able to address the fundamental problems left by years of incompetent administration. The Liberal Democrats are offering just such a team."

The full text of the letter is below:-

"Labour leader Cllr Barron's has, outrageously, suggested Liberal Democrats "want to run the Council down over the next few months in an attempt to gain votes - in May". Tory leader, Tim Hadland has claimed we are somehow scared of facing the electorate in May. He has reasons to be scared, we do not.

"It is no secret - the Liberal Democrats want to win control of Northampton Borough Council in May. We have an excellent chance of doing so. We have the policies, people and skills to put the Council on its feet, able to deliver the high quality services residents want and the regeneration Northampton so clearly needs.

"We start from the principle of 'first, do no harm'. We are looking for less damaging alternatives to the drastic cuts offered by the Conservative administration. Bridging a £3M budget deficit will not be pain free. We are looking to cut waste, improve efficiency, postpone expenditure where prudent and only lastly to cut services.

"That is the responsible position of a party aiming to take control in May. Liberal Democrats appreciate putting right the current mess requires fundamental changes to the way the Council works.

"Labour are asking the government to bale NBC out. They won't. The government haven't baled out our local police, health service or County Council - all in financial crisis. They will not provide several million quid to bale out Northampton Borough Council.

"Labour MP, Sally Keeble, is irresponsibly rushing from photo opportunity to photo opportunity saying don't make any cuts. Where does she think the money is coming from?

"The only solution to Northampton Borough Council's problems is to elect Councillors in May who are realistic about the current problems, willing and able to address the fundamental problems left by years of incompetent administration. The Liberal Democrats are offering just such a team."