TORY-LED CORNWALL COUNCIL CONDEMNED FOR "BUDGET OF BROKEN PROMISES"

4.18.00pm GMT Mon 15th Feb 2010

Conservative-led Cornwall Council have been condemned for a "Budget of broken promises" by Liberal Democrat Councillors.

Conservative Councillors had in many cases been elected on a promise of freezing Council Tax but have instead risked capping by central government after proposing an increase of 2.9% at this week's annual budget-setting meeting of Cornwall Council.

Lib Dem Group Leader Doris Ansari said: "This is a budget of broken promises. The Conservatives promised a freeze in Council Tax but instead, aided and abetted by the so-called Independents, they're foisting a huge increase on the Cornish taxpayer in the middle of a recession. This is in spite of £15 million savings from One Cornwall and a £9.2 million increase in the grant from central government.

"They also promised to oppose fortnightly rubbish collections, but that is exactly what is being proposed for the coming years. It seems they will quite happily say one thing to get elected, but do quite the opposite when they find themselves in power."

Ann Kerridge, Lib Dem Budget spokesman, added: "Even with this above-inflation rise in Council Tax they are still threatening cuts to some of our most important services. Libraries, leisure centres and weekly rubbish collections have all been identified by their own Cabinet papers as being under threat, and those are only the things they're prepared to tell us about. The Conservatives promised to protect frontline services but they've started to cut the things that matter to people at the very first opportunity."

Questions have also been raised about the Leader of the Council's early commitment to "transparency and openness". Lib Dem Councillor Robin Teverson remarked: "We've seen a culture of secrecy develop at Cornwall Council over the last eight months. At every turn communities have been the last to learn about Cabinet proposals which directly affect them. We've seen it over school closures and the removal of Council services, and they're conducting their budget discussions in exactly the same way. They've set aside £7 million to cover redundancy payments but they haven't given any indication of where those cuts will fall. Staff have been told that at least 600 jobs will go but they haven't said which areas are at risk.

"Is it any wonder staff morale within the Council is at an all-time low?

"The Conservatives' promises of transparency and openness have already been shown to be as empty as their other promises on Council Tax, fortnightly rubbish collections and frontline services."