THE LEADER of the Conservative group, cllr Phil Anderson slammed the Labour budget as a dishonest budget…..lacking in ideas and courage.”
In a stinging attack on the Labour plan, cllr Anderson accused Labour of having one eye on the council elections in May.
The shadow leader produced an eleven point amendment to the Labour plan.
It included:
1. Fundamental overhaul of the housing allocations systems, including changes to the rules. communications of the news system. Funding would come from additional housing revenue account income.
2. Develop early, detailed schemes for new housing on council land. Aim to achieve 40% council/ 60% partnership with first schemes to start within 12 months.
3. Multi-service one stop shop locations for every major community in Thurrock. Aim to deliver first two schemes in year one, remainder in year two. Programme to be cost neutral.
4. Devolve spending decisions on community services to local communities and ward councillors.
5. Reduce the amount of centrally retained schools budget and increase the amount given directly to schools. Current budget is £10m, aim to devolve £1m in first year.
6. Review of bus subsidy, school and denominational transport, and community transport.
7. Increase resources for fraud prevention, including council tax, benefit and internal fraud.
What has this conservative administration ever done that was honest? This budget is about tackling the years of tory overspending, putting the house in order, saving and investing responsibly for the future. Labour is committed to local people, equality and fairness. The conservatives as usual have nothing more than blah blah moan to offer residents. The conservative group attacking the budget is hypocrisy gone mad. The Conservative group is fast becoming an example of a far right extremist group. We seem to have won the fight against the BNP but this has been replaced by a conservative party in Thurrock that is strangely similar in many respects. There is no integrity or understanding of the local issues or challenges that face Thurrock.
On the contrary gary heart! A conservative adminstration would not overlook the real issues that face ALL in Thurrock and not just the labour dependants that you and your party have tried to wrap in cotton wool as long as they vote for you> As another post states you only have to look at our neighbours in Brentwood and Havering to see how, many years, of a conservative council have prospered the boroughs. Thurrock has lagged behind and only conservative leadership has ever looked like pulling us up, and as for your comment that “YOU” have won the fight against the BNP, how dare you be so condesending to all the decent folk of Thurrock that have won that particular battle by putting their votes forward at the ballot box, and I for one (of many) hope that for the good of Thurrock they do it again and rid Thurrock of your party’s nannying and look to a conservative future where we will all be allowed to think and act for ourselves, and not rely on the state.
chickenfeed should be renamed chickenbrain,after the disaster of tory control over the last couple of years ,the tories on thurrock council are morally bankrupt.
chickenfeed1 i vote neither labour or conservative i vote based on the best policy and what will make a difference. i will give comment or bash either side that forgets the people. As you know i agree with you often but on this issue i have to give labour the upper hand at the moment. The reason why is that last time they were in administration they overspent, had no clear plans, and it was one drama after another in the press!! i mean if their leader had to move over to the labour side can you honestly blame me for giving the nod to labour?
Another moaning Conservative press release.
As Labour are launching their local election campaign this weekend – could we have something from Cllr Anderson on the Conservatives local election campaign?
For instance – will the Conservatives be campaigning on a ‘save the green belt’ platform – seeing how you all voted in December for an extra 18,500 homes to be crammed into the borough and voted for green belt land in Thurrock to be released for housing (Woodview site etc)?
Will you be campaigning this year on 24 hour police stations and more real police on the beat (not PCSOs) as you have done in previous years – or does your Governments massive cuts to Essex Police make this impossible?
Will you be for or against an airport in the Thames Estuary?
Will you be for or against your Governments plans for a new Thames river crossing and a new motorway slicing through the boroughs green belt?
Last year you voted against money for devolved budgets but this year you are in favour – why the u-turn?
As all Conservative councillors, including yourself Cllr Anderson voted for the Woodview college to be demolished and the site released for housing, would you clarify for confused residents what exactly is the Conservative policy here? To oppose it when talking to residents and to vote for it in the council chamber?
Following Councillor Tolsons outburst this week would the Conservatives please enter these local elections confirming it is official Conservative policy you want CCTV spy cars to operate in the borough dishing out fines left right and centre on unsuspecting motorists?
Cllr Revell appears to be making a big fuss about the T-Fest and the T-Fest accounts. Would you also examine the account for this festival for the period it operated when the Conservatives ran the council? And while we are at it why not examine the accounts for the English Festival and the ice-rink at Lakeside, both Cllr Redsells ideas I believe. How much taxpayers money did these events lose? You are making a fuss about the T-Fest so make a fuss about the ice-rink and English festival – both event have not been run again by the council – I wonder why?
With the introduction of Universal Credit and housing benefit being abolished – is it really worth pouring resources to detect fraud when in the very near future it will no longer be a council responsibility as it will be administered elsewhere?
And while we talk about housing benefit, is it really a clever idea, when housing benefit is abolished and replaced by universal credit to give council and housing association tenants their rent money directly rather than pay their landlords? How will your government plans impact on the rent department at Thurrock Council? More staff chasing every tenant for their rent?
Council Tax Benefit is being scrapped next April. Instead it will be replaced by a local scheme. The funding will be calculated by giving 90% subsidy based on the amount of council tax benefit that was paid out in 2010/11 financial year – instead of 100% subsidy for the actual benefit paid. The Government will protect pensioners and people with children I believe so they will still get the same benefit so those who work and are single or have no children will get less benefit and have to pay more council tax – is this fair councillor Anderson?
Back to Housing Benefit – hundreds of single Thurrock residents on housing benefit in private rented properties aged 25 to 35 will shortly find their housing benefit cut from the rent for a one bedroom property to a single room rate. Is this fair as hundreds of people will be forced to move into bedsits. You will be creating bedsit land in Thurrock. What are your thoughts on this?
Gypsies and Travellers and Travelling Showmen – what is the official Conservative policy on additional pitches in the borough? Following Jackie Doyle-Prices outburst in Parliament will a Conservative controlled Council be carrying out a Dale farm type clearance of the site in Buckles Lane?
Conservatives were very vocal about Basildon Hospital last year – now you have two Conservative councillors on the board why the silence on the hospital?
Enough questions for now – I’m sure YourThurock can think of a few more.
One more – Fortnightly bin collections – have any Conservative Councillors been in discussions with Council officers to introduce fortnightly bin collection if you regain control this May? No pork pies please – an honest answer.