Bedford Borough Conservative Group Leader Cllr Stephen Moon has written to the Times & Citizen criticising the Council’s Liberal Democrat and Labour administration for voting down the Conservative Group’s budget amendments. He was responding to comments made in an earlier article by the Labour Group Leader Cllr Oliver.
The letter is reproduced below:
‘Contrary to Cllr Oliver’s musings, the Council’s tired Lib Dem / Lab Executive proved itself incapable of producing an imaginative and effective tax-cutting budget for 2015/16 (T & C, January 29).
The Conservative budget amendments reflected the priorities of residents and businesses alike. Our proposals were confirmed by Borough Finance officers as complying with the same tests for prudency as the Executive budget and were therefore fully funded and affordable in the long term. Lib Dem and Labour councillors have done Bedford Borough a disservice in voting them down.
The Conservatives would have doubled Saturday free parking to 4 hours and provided 2 hours free parking every day from Monday to Friday. This offered the most effective regeneration package for Bedford town centre in decades.
The Mayor has let down those needing affordable housing by cutting the affordable homes budget by 90%. Restoring the £1million pledged by Mayor Branston would have allowed the development of a great many more homes available for rent or purchase below market value.
Finally, the rejection of our 25% cut to councillors’ pay showed the reluctance of Lib Dem and Labour councillors to address their own bumper pay packets at a time when the finances of Bedford residents remain tight.’
Cllr Stephen Moon (Con)
Conservative Group Leader