The Liberal Democrat group on Shepway District Council is demanding that the Council's budget for 2005/06 be changed to eliminate an increase in councillors' allowances contained in the proposals being made by the controlling Conservative group.
The District Council's Liberal Democrats, supported by Labour and Loughton Resident members, mounted a strong challenge to the Tory Cabinet portfolio holder's attempt to persuade the Council to continue negotiations with Sport and Leisure Management, a commercial company, to take over the management of the council's leisure centres.
For the Woodcote by-election, the Liberal Democrats have chosen the well-known local solicitor Lionel Blackman, who lives in the heart of Woodcote ward. Lionel wants to see Woodcote get a better deal. He says "I think Woodcote residents have been well served by their Lib Dem councillors in the past. They were utterly committed, reliable and professional. I am determined to carry on their good work."
Chelmsford's Lib Dem PPC Stephen Robinson has poured scorn over our Tory MP's attempts to make his discredited party more credible. Stephen said, "Why should we believe Conservative low tax 'promises' when they always raised them? Or that they will devolve powers to the very local authorities they worked to sideline? Or that they can take sensible decisions when they introduced madcap schemes like the Council tax?"
Liberal Democrats welcome the single figure increase in Council Tax and the Tories allocating £1m to key worker housing and £100,000 to improve the energy efficiency of the Council's buildings in response to Liberal Democrat initiatives. However, we oppose the way this figure has been achieved because this Conservative budget is not only a missed opportunity to improve services for Surrey's residents by cutting wasted spending by the Council, but it carries hidden risks that could lead to cuts to Council services later in the year.
At the budget meeting of Surrey County Council the Liberal Democrats proposed cuts in spending on consultants, communications and "policy initiatives" in order to fund improved services for Surrey residents.
