THE LEADER of Thurrock’s Conservative group, cllr Garry Hague has questioned the democratic mandate of the minority Labour adminstration in Thurrock as he robustly defended the amendments to the council budget that they successfully pushed through the council on Tuesday night.
Cllr Hague said:
“Thurrock Labour Council’s proposed 2011/12 Budget, which proposed cuts to a number of key front line services valued by residents, has been defeated thanks to a Conservative alternative Budget which was agreed by Thurrock’s Full Council at its meeting on 1st March 2011.
The Conservative alternative Budget also included a quarter point (0.25%) reduction in Council Tax funded by additional back office efficiency savings and improved business approaches.
The Conservative amendment to the Council’s Budget has avoided cuts of £653,000 that Labour planned to a range of environment, community safety and older peoples’ services.
Cuts that will no longer go ahead, thanks to the Conservative amendments, mean that the Council’s three bin waste collection service will remain weekly, service cuts to street cleaning and greening will no longer be implemented, and a Labour plan to reduce funding of pendant alarms for older people will no longer go ahead.
At the same time the Conservative Budget enables the Council to continue match funding of PCSOs who are much valued in the community. A new ‘Big Society’ fund will also be created by diverting funds from other existing Council sources to enable local groups, charities, voluntary sector organisations, social enterprises, and Council Members to apply for funds to support the most worthwhile community projects.
To fund these vital services, Conservatives have identified alternative savings of £808,000 in the Council’s back office, together with improved approaches to business in a range of areas that will not negatively impact front line services valued by residents.
Councillor Hague expressed his delight at winning the vote.
He added: “I am pleased for the people of Thurrock that we were able to stop the madness of Labour’s cuts to highly valued front line services from being implemented.
“The alternative savings we have identified to fund these services are in the back office or reflect improved approaches to a range of areas of the Council’s business that will be delivered more efficiently and effectively.
For example, reducing the number of Cabinet portfolio holders enables the senior management structure to be further streamlined, and packaging up the Council’s leisure activities to enable a specialist organisation to run these will both improve efficiency and ensure the services are run better.
“I am also delighted that residents will now benefit from a reduction in Council Tax for 2011/12. I believe this is a first in Thurrock and continues our commitment to reduce the burden of tax on residents whenever possible.
Under the last six years of Conservative control of Thurrock Council, Council Tax was only increased by broadly around the rate of inflation, in contrast to Labour’s 48% increase when they last ran the Council. This year, thanks to a further £1.4 million grant from the Coalition Government, together with the surplus savings we have identified, residents will see the benefit of their Council tax reducing.
“In summary the choices as to where, and how, the required savings are made are fundamentally the responsibility of the Labour Administration – they cannot blame the Coalition Government for where they decided to let the axe fall. They got it wrong, and I’m delighted that Full Council agreed not to support the Labour Budget and instead voted for the Conservative amendments which will see valued environment, community safety and older peoples’ services continue.
“Setting the Annual Budget is one of the most important elements of the Council’s business as it directs where the Council focuses its resources and priorities for the coming year. With their failure to get their Budget approved by the Full Council, we now have a situatiion where Labour are technically in office but not in power.
How can our residents have confidence in them. I believe this is an unprecedented situation in Thurrock and it leaves the leader and Labour administration in an untenable position.”
Gary
Your memory is all over the place again. Two days ago you forgot you had been at the overview and scrutiny committee that looked at Newsquest. It took Cllr Kent to remind you in the council chamber of the fact you had actually taken part in these discussions and were at the scrutiny meeting. Today i will remind you of another lapse in your memory.
Earlier this year you had a vote of no confidence in your leadership go against you in the council chamber. This vote was called by a member of your own party and the result was clear you were not fit to lead and members of your own party wanted you to go. Did you go. NO YOU DID NOT. You continued to hobble on. This very nearly led Thurrock Council into bancruptcy. This vote of no confidence lead to 3 members of the tory group to set up their own political party and with you at the helm this is how you will take Thurrock Tory Party into the May elections. NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL NOT IN CONTROL.
Another reminder for your failing memory your ammendment to the budget was pushed through with the support of the two ‘TORY in Disguise’ East Tilbury Independents. Only in time will Thurrock residents see the service cuts that your extra cuts will bring to them personally.
funny how Mr Hagues coments fly in the face of Eric Pickles coments about thurrock councils spending and they are supposed to be batting for the same side .
At least Mr Pickles is being non partisan whe he spoke.
Why do things always have to be dragged into an argument about Labour vs Tory? The fact is, there were two versions of cuts to be voted on and the majority liked one choice over another. Whichever version was picked was going to cause real pain to one group or another so why make it a Prty Political issue? Garry Hague may well suffer from the odd memory lapse (doesn’t every Politician when it’s expedient?) but at least he and his party came up with an alternative to the proposals offered by Labour. Surely Democracy works best when options are available? Muck raking and rehashing old arguments are pointless and undesirable.
When will both parties actually pu their political differences away and start to work for the good of the borough, every statement so far from both the leader and opposition is just point scoring
I would have liked to post this message under the story “Gerry Hague tells John Kent ‘Your’e in office but not in power!'” but for some reason that page will not allow me to make a comment.
This is a direct question for the editor:
Commented posted on behalf of Smithereen
“Is Your Thurrock a news service or is it just a mouthpiece of the local conservative party?
This article appears, particularly with the words in bold font, to be nothing more than a promotion of the local Conservative Party line. What is it doing on here without any context or balancing comment. It is either shoddy journalism or a political advertisement. Surely, even editorial commentary would generally show a little more objectivity?.
What standards do you set yourself in terms of news reporting?
Lets try and remove some of Mr Hagues spin.
The budget was £118 million and the tories changed £800,000 – so the tories supported 99.55 percent of Labours budget. (I don’t have the exact budget and saving figures so I might be slightlly out here – I’m sure there is someone who can work out the precise percentage)
It isn’t the first time in history that the council tax has fallen in Thurrock. If I recall correctly it fell in 1998 under Labour.
Labour have never increased council tax by 48 percent. Their highest increase was I think in 2002 or 2003 when it increased by 20 percent. Still a massive amount but not 48 percent a figure repeated parrot like by Mr Hague and his collegues.
I’m sure I have read Hague gloating that this situation is unprecedented and Labour failed to get their budget through. Last year didn’t Labour propose alternatives and the Conservatives accepted them? So whats the difference? Last year the Conservatives failed to get their budget through and the Labour ammendments went through.
Gary
I would like to give back my measly council tax rebate of less than £3 per year and have back the front line services you have cut.
These include adult education centre – grays beach and the one and only theatre we have in thurrock.
If you think thurrock residents wont see through the smoke and mirrors wait and see what they say on May 5th – the local elections.
Sting…. As reporting in a balanced way seems to be the topic of the day, let’s look at what Labour were looking to do….
CUT the frequency of bin collections (U-TURN AT THE LAST MINUTE)
CUT smoke detectors for the vulnerable
CUT funding of PCSO’s
CUT cleaning and greening budget
CUT funding for leisure services
Support a private enterprise that has little value for Thurrock residents except a few
I can see which party you’ll be standing for just by your scaremongering, do they teach all your candidates that in a manual supplied by the RMT? GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT FIRST!
The tory budget is a credible alternative that keeps those things that residents care about intact instead of the slash and burn budget that was proposed by Labour.
Finally, the vote of no confidence was last year and, according to the council constitution, the leader does not have to step down if it is lost. So, if you are standing in the local elections then, I suggest you read the constitution and the members code of conduct so you know what you are letting yourself in for and more importantly, how to behave.