FOLLOWING the publication of Labour’s proposed budget for 2013-14, Thurrock Conservatives have expressed their opposition to the proposed 1.99% council tax rise.
Leader of the Conservatives Cllr Phil Anderson said “Conservative councillors are naturally concerned at proposed tax increases that will hit hard working families in Thurrock. With most people experiencing a wages freeze, they do not have spare money to pay extra taxes.
“Having looked at the plans in detail, Labour’s budget plans to raise an extra £1 million in tax but not spend it – the budget shows a surplus of £1.8 million for 2013-14.
At the same time, Labour are refusing a Government grant of over £500,000 which is on offer if the council freezes council tax for another year.
“Thurrock Conservatives cannot support taking money out of residents’ pockets for it to sit in the council’s bank account instead. We will be hoping to defeat this tax rise at the budget setting meeting on Wednesday.”
How hypercritical of Mr Anderson to say “Thurrock Conservatives cannot support taking money out of residents’ pockets for it to sit in the council’s bank account instead.”
What is his party in government doing then? Just that!
And hasn’t he complained about our Labour council spending all its reserves?
Politicians. So unbelievable!
Cllr Anderson has got a point. If there is a grant available then the council should take it rather than hiking up council tax. I suspect the only reason the Labour group do not want the grant is so they can then claim that council tax has to rise due to government ‘cuts’.
I am all for having reserves but it is times like these when we should be using some of our reserves to ensure that services do not suffer. It is pointless having it sitting there then blaming the government for a lack of funds.
Local government budget setting is a farce anyway. The budget is generally stuffed full of bunce which is why Comrade Kent keeps telling us they’ve cut 30, 40 or 50% out of the budget, whichever sounds the most ludicrous at the time, without actually having to make mass redundancies and slashing services all together. Wait until the current years accounts are produced and then look at the expenditure. I’ll put money on it there isn’t a reduction of more than 5% on the previous year, if there is a reduction at all.
Can Mr Kent explain why he is not taking up the grant, surely in the current climate he would be biting their hands off for this money, maybe Bernard is right and this is just a bit of political bloody mindedness.
Yes jmw118 the current incumbents are raising taxes but we all know the reason behind that and Mr Kent and his party members are complicit in the issues being created today
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