Lib Dem Attacks "failure" of Tory Budget

1.53.40pm GMT Mon 13th Feb 2006

Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr David McBride has launched a stinging attack on Bromley's budget for next year, saying it failed to meet residents' priorities and for the most part was rectifying poor financial decisions made in the past.

He also attacked the Tories for lying to residents by pretending that the Council Tax will be below 4%. In actual fact, Council Tax bills in Bromley will rise by well over 6% this April.

"Local residents are telling me that they are getting increasingly fed up with the poor state of the roads and pavements, with the feeling that some areas of the Borough are unsafe and the cuts which are beginning to affect our libraries. This budget singularly fails to address any of those issues."

He told local Liberal Democrat members that so called "extra" funds for schools and the Youth Service were making up for appalling financial decisions in the past, which residents were now paying for. "With the Youth Service, a decision taken a few years ago to take the cheapest option on offer now means that local residents have to pay extra to put things right. As for schools, the Government has finally run out of patience with Bromley Tories spending less on pupils than other London boroughs and have told them exactly what they must spend. It has nothing at all to do with any local choice by Conservative councilors, " Cllr McBride added.