THURROCK Council Leader, Cllr John Kent has welcomed the proposals and suggestions by the Conservative opposition over the upcoming budget.
Cllr Kent said: “It has been pleasing to see the opposition heed my call to bring forward their own budget proposal in time for them to be considered by overview and scrutiny.
“This has to be more sensible than springing uncosted, untested ideas on members 15 minutes before they sit down to make decisions. Grown-up politics. Let’sm hope we can maintain that sense of decorum.
“This means cabinet members and all councillors will have a chance to consider all the proposals before voting on them.
“I have said before that we all usually agree on 95 to 99 per cent of the budget schemes and I hope we can tick them off and concentrate our debate on what’s left – for there will be differences of opinion.
“I have made clear time after time that our budget plans have one single overarching aim, to protect front-line services as far as is possible and that is our mantra. Some may call it piecemeal, others might not.
“There are undoubtedly some proposals from the opposition which I wholeheartedly welcome, there are others where every instinct on my side of the chamber cries out against them, and – of course – there are others where we could be open to persuasion
“A media statement is not the grown up place to have those discussions. Some, obviously will be the subject of behind the scenes discussions, while next week’s cabinet meeting and especially the full council a fortnight later will be the obvious place to talk and decide.”
The statement from Cllr Kent is well made and I hope it is made sincerely and not just spin.
Whilst he is on about “Grown Up Politics” would he like to comment on why his chamber and his own party have done sweet FA about the infamous Cllr Kielly??
This can only be a good thing for Thurrock.