Jill Hope

Northamptonshire County Councillor for Sixfields - a Lib Dem campaigner working all year round, not just at election time Learn more

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The Conservatives clapped and cheered as they passed their budget which could cut up to 900 jobs. How dare they?

by Jill Hope on 27 February, 2011

ON THURSDAY 24 Feb the Conservatives on Northants County Council used their large majority to pass their budget at County Hall.

A tale of two councils - Tory cuts at County Hall.....

Because of their financial mismanagement, the impact of the recent Government cuts has been horrendous, but once the vote was taken and the budget was passed, the Conservatives clapped and cheered themselves as people sat in the public gallery and watched their jobs disappear.

But it’s not just 900 jobs, it’s also:

  • Cutting £1.4M of bus subsidies
  • Turning out the street lights, even in areas where crime and accidents may increase
  • Cutting money to the Casualty Reduction Scheme which has saved lives on Northamptonshire’s roads
  • ....sound financial management at the LibDem-run Guildhall

  • Cutting the funding of Trading Standards
  • Cutting lollipop men and ladies
  • Cutting mobile libraries
  • Cuts to the Voluntary sector

Some people might say that they didn’t have any choice, hard times etc. Well they DID have choices. The Lib Dem opposition produced an alternative budget that was approved by the Council’s financial officer as responsible.

Through back office savings, eliminating an unnecessary new quango and cutting some Cabinet posts, we have managed to eliminate or reduce all of these cuts.

Sadly because of the huge majority that the Conservatives have on the County Council, there is absolutely nothing you can do about this until 2013.

But when you do vote on 5 May this year in Northampton Borough elections, irrespective of who you vote for nationally, please consider this:

  • the Borough Council was considered ‘The Worst Council in England’ when it was run by the Conservatives, before the Lib Dems took over in May 2007
  • Then take a look at the budget the Lib Dems on the Borough Council are presenting on Monday 28 February

◊ no cuts to front line services by the LibDems

.          ◊ no increase in Council Tax by the Borough

◊ only a handful of jobs being cut

and ask yourself:

  • who you think would be the best party to run your town’s budget effectively for the next four years?

See also:

BBC report: Northamptonshire county budget backs 900 job cuts

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