Lib-Dem Response to Wokingham District Council Budget - Proposed Amendment (Wokingham Liberal Democrats)

Wokingham Liberal Democrats <info@wokinghamlibdems.org.uk>

Lib-Dem Response to Wokingham District Council Budget - Proposed Amendment

February 24, 2006 12:00 AM

Following the announcement of yet another generous Government settlement to Wokingham District Council, Wokingham Liberal Democrats proposed amendments to the Tory budget at last night's budget meeting.

Councillor Coling Lawley (Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition) said, "I am bitterly disappointed that the Tories have yet again come up with a budget that squirrels away our residents' cash in the Council coffers, and attempts to make savings out of the most vulnerable in the community. These residents are being especially hard hit by the Tories' unnecessary price hike on Meals on Wheels and mean-spirited reduction in the number of people eligible for the higher rate of Concessionary Fares tokens."

Coling Lawley proposed the following amendments:

Increase the value of free travel tokens for elderly and disabled residents from £40 to £45 and from £80 to £90 for those on the lowest incomes.

Maintain the discounted rail pass charge at £7.70.

Set up an environmental "hit squad" to carry out clean-ups which may not fit into the regular Council cleaning schedule.

Coling Lawley said that the service improvements he was suggesting had been fully costed and the proposed amendment to the budget explained how they could be paid for without increasing the Council Tax.

He added, "Whilst the Tories grudgingly admitted that the Lib Dem Group had come up with some good, constructive ideas, they still threw out our budget proposals. The Tory budget will be remembered as a mean-spirited little budget."