Savage Budget Cuts Promised By Warwickshire Tories

12.55.16pm GMT Mon 1st Feb 2010

"Savage cuts that will hit hardest vulnerable older people, families with children and young people. A budget that does nothing to help improve the future prosperity of Warwickshire."

That is the verdict of Cllr. Jerry Roodhouse (Rugby Eastlands & Hillmorton), leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat group on Warwickshire County Council, after the ruling Conservatives published their revised draft budget last week.

Jerry Roodhouse continued:

"Despite a proposed council tax increase very close to the government's likely capping limit, the Tories have only balanced their budget by proposing massive cuts in vital front-line services.

"Some cuts, for example to the County Music Service and to home-to-college transport arrangements for young people, were suggested by the Tories a year ago, but then withdrawn by them in the face of a storm of protest. Now with the elections safely won and a large majority on the council, these Tory cuts are back with a vengeance.

"The Tories have been running Warwickshire since 2005, and in that time we have seen several so-called 'modernisation' and 'partnership working' initiatives which have come to very little. Most of the great bureaucracy of the county council remains untouched. Closer working between the six Councils in Warwickshire to stop duplicating functions must be the way to save money in the future, and we shall continue to press the Tories to take urgent action on this.

"We have all known for a long time that 2010/11 and future years would be a difficult time financially for public services, but Warwickshire County Council is ill-prepared to respond in a way that protects front-line services."

The Liberal Democrats calculate that over £6 million of the proposed Tory cuts are to front-line departments, which will mean loss of vital services and amenities, large increases in charges, or both.

Departments supporting vulnerable older people, and children, families and young people are under huge cost pressures as the population ages and from the effects of the recession. Yet these same departments are being asked to bear the lion's share of the proposed savings.

For example, increased charges for adult social care services are planned to save nearly £ 0.8 million in the first year and over £ 3 million over 3 years. To achieve this will entail a 90% increase in home care charges over 2 years, and a 375% increase in day care charges over the same period. The charge to an elderly person for social care visits to their home would jump from £9.14 to £17.42 per hour, while the charge for a day's stay at a day centre would go up from £5.26 to £25.00.

Liberal Democrats say that such massive increases in charges for vulnerable older people are unfair and disproportionate, and will hit hardest those least able to afford it.

Last but not least, the Conservatives' draft budget is completely silent on the future of the Fire & Rescue Service, which means that the axe continues to hang over the seven fire stations identified for closure under the Cabinet's plans published last September.

Jerry Roodhouse concluded:

"Between now and the budget debate on 9th February, the Liberal Democrat group will be doing everything it can to identify ways to soften the impact of these cuts and to refocus priorities on maintaining vital front-line services. With such massive savings needed and with the council's finances in such poor shape it is not going to be easy, but we are determined to try."