Labour Group Amendment to Tory Budget
Posted by labourblogger on February 27, 2008
Press Release Labour Group Amendment to Tory Budget
The labour group find that the Budget proposals are not giving true value for money. The proposals are flawed because the Conservatives are using REVENUE FUNDING (which is a direct charge on the council tax) to fund CAPITAL schemes. The Conservatives are building up Capital reserves to fund their pet project, a brand new civic centre or as we call it TORY TOWERS.
The Labour Group do not believe that the Council tax payers of Wyre Forest
a) Want a New Civic Centre
b) Need a new Civic Centre
c) Can afford a new civic centre.
The Labour Amendment puts those schemes that should be funded from Capital into the capital programme where they belong.
These schemes include
Refurbishment of changing rooms Brown Westhead Park £20,000
Build new changing rooms Habberley Rd. Sports ground £250,000
Partnership funding refurbishing Stourport sports centre. £ 50,000
Tories also put revenue money in reserves (Tory Towers) £400,000
The Labour Group proposals all the schemes will go ahead, but will be funded from Capital thus releasing £630,000 revenue to improve the services provided to the Council Tax Payers of Wyre Forest.
A) Labour will bring in weekly bin collections for the hottest summer months and this will be put into base budget not a one off but every year Cost £165,000 per year.
B) More Toilets for Stourport, To commission a feasibility study for the provision of additional conveniences for Stourport Town Centre £10,000 + £300,000 contingency to build, when a suitable town centre site is found. Cost £10,000 + £300,000
C) Tree Study, To commission a full inventory of all trees within Wyre Forest that the council has prime responsibility for. Cost £28,000
D) Bus Shelters. To provide new bus shelters every year by putting money in base budget. Cost £ 8,000 p.a.
E) Street scene to put into the base budget the cost of the additional street cleansing team for next 3 years. Not a one year option.
All these additional services can be provided for the same2.5% increase being proposed by the Conservative administration.
WEEKLY BIN COLLECTIONS IN HOTTEST SUMMER MONTHS.
MUCH NEEDED CONVENIENCES FOR STOURPORT.
TREE STUDY FOR THE WHOLE DISTRICT.
NEW BUS SHELTERS EVERY YEAR NOT JUST THIS YEAR.
STREET CLEANSING EVERY YEAR NOT JUST THIS YEAR.
These amendments to the Conservative Budget really do represent value for the additional 2.5 % increase the Council Tax payers of Wyre Forest will have to pay.
