Tony Woods comments on the Borough Council's budget

12.18.43pm GMT Sat 24th Feb 2007

Cllr Tony Woods

Northampton Borough Council Liberal Democrats helped save a number of vital services from the axe at a meeting to decide the council's budget for 2007/08. The Liberal Democrats helped broker an agreement between the three parties to win reprieves for a number of vital services, following the deferral of the decision due to be taken last week on the council's budget.

Cllr Tony Woods, Leader of the Liberal Democrat group said:

"This budget is deeply damaging to Northampton and to Northampton citizens. Over £3 million worth of cuts have had to be made because the Conservative administration has failed to control the Council's spending over the past year. Keeping a firm control of public money is, surely, one of the most fundamental duties of any administration. The Conservatives have failed. They have shown themselves to be incapable and financially inept. Worse, Liberal Democrats have been warning them for nearly four years that significant changes have to be made to improve both the performance and the efficiency of the Council if we are break free of this annual round of damaging cuts.

"We are deeply unhappy with the budget the Conservatives put forward. A small number of vital services have been saved in part or as a whole. These include:-

· The Neighbourhood Warden service which is vital to both improving public safety and reducing environmental crime.

· Lings Leisure Centre - a vital facility in an area of town with some problems of deprivation. However, saving Lings comes at the cost of higher charges in all Council Leisure Centres.

· Grants to the Voluntary and Community Sector - allowing voluntary groups to help many of the most vulnerable in society.

· Our theatres - with the County Council stepping in for one year only. Liberal Democrats know this was an old pals act with the County Tories bailing out their incompetent Borough chums. However, what is required is a solution to ensure the long term viability of our theatres - not a short term fix for political expediency.

Last night we were able to save a handful of other things:-

· The remaining cut in Community Grants has been restored. This will be accompanied by a review of advice services to maximise the benefit of the Council's money in helping people.

· Additional money has been put towards helping difficult young people by involving them in arts projects.

· The Council's Community Centres have been saved.

· Funding to the Anti Social Behaviour Unit has been restored.

"However, this Tory budget still contains many swinging and very damaging cuts including:-

· Closure of all town centre toilets - we need more toilets, not less.

· Reductions in street cleaning

· Reductions in graffiti removal

· Cuts to the maintenance of our parks and open spaces - already suffering from a lack of maintenance.

"However, a balanced budget had to be passed - that is a legal requirement. Liberal Democrats have tried to ensure that, at the very least, the most damaging cuts were reversed. In doing so we have had to accept that some services have been reduced. We will attempt to restore these cuts as soon as the financial mess at the Council can be repaired.

"Liberal Democrats could not bring themselves to vote for this budget - even with the amendments. However, voting against would have been irresponsible and would have put the Council at grave risk of further and very damaging government intervention. We abstained - allowing the budget to be passed.

"Northampton Borough Council is a very poorly performing council - one of the worst in the country - as confirmed by the recent Audit Commission report. Currently it is providing poor services very inefficiently. Looking forward, improving the quality of services will, in my experience, dramatically increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the services.

"Liberal Democrat administrations in places as diverse as Liverpool, Watford, Islington and Milton Keynes have radically improved their Council's efficiency and performance.

"A Liberal Democrat administration will provide the leadership and drive necessary to dramatically and rapidly improve the performance of Northampton Borough Council. We hope to have the opportunity to do so after the Borough Council elections on 3rd May.