County Budget - Labour and Conservatives support each other, but not the hard pressed families of Warwickshire

9.44.03pm GMT Tue 3rd Feb 2009

In today's Warwickshire County Council budget debate, both the Labour and Conservative Groups avoided making clear choices and jointly agreed on a higher council tax bill than the Liberal Democrats, despite the tough economic climate.

As Cllr Jerry Roodhouse, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group said, "We need to stop duplication of services and sharpen up the County Council's act in how we deliver services to help people through the recession.

Both Labour and Conservatives have not bitten the bullet on cutting the County's bureaucracy and core costs to save money. And that's what our hard pressed families need right now."

Both Labour and Conservatives agreed to cut spending on library books and introduce charging for computer access, which will affect the very people who can least afford it.

Together they decided to spend even more of taxpayer's money, over £1.5M, on offices in Warwick, when our school buildings are in dire need of refurbishment and repair.

And the direct result of both the Conservatives and the Labour doing a deal is that your Council Tax has been pushed even higher. Just as importantly, it can result in some of the much needed charities in Warwickshire closing their doors.

How's that for getting your priorities wrong!

The details:

• Conservative original budget spending proposal increased by £ 304,000 in order to do a deal with Labour.

• Council tax increase of 3.9% voted for by Conservatives and passed due to Labour abstaining.

• Cuts of £ 600,000 to voluntary sector and charities in grants.

• £ 150,000 cut in spending on new library books.

• £ 200,000 to be raised by charging for public use of library PC's for the first time ever.

• Conservatives & Labour adopted Lib Dem ideas on members' allowances being frozen and car mileage rates reduced, despite having resisted these in the past.