4.5% (Leicester City Liberal Democrats)

Leicester City Liberal Democrats <joan.garrity@leicester-libdems.org.uk>

4.5%

February 25, 2009 2:47 AM

Peter Coley, Leader of Leicester Liberal Democrat Group

Cllr. Peter Coley said, "Our amendment makes the budget fairer, greener and more beneficial for residents and protect services as well as reduce charge increases and set a lower council tax increase and will use less taxpayers money doing it."

The Labour council leader has been boosting in the local press about his party voting through a 4.5% increase in Council Tax rather than a 4.9% at this evenings Council meeting.

The Liberal Democrats have plans to bring forward an amendment, which will bring Council Tax down to a 3.5% increase. Cllr. Peter Coley said, "Our amendment makes the budget fairer, greener and more beneficial for residents and protect services as well as reduce charge increases and set a lower council tax increase and will use less taxpayers money doing it.

The Liberal Democrat Budget Proposal:

The Liberal Democrat Group proposes that the Council approves the budget recommended by the Cabinet on 16th February, subject to the following changes:

A reduction in the proposed increase to the level of Council Tax to 3.5%. We believe that particularly in the current economic climate with spiralling energy and food costs, growing instability in the labour market and an increasing level of indebtedness it is necessary for this Authority to minimise inflationary tax increases wherever possible.

Specific proposals:

A reduction in the increase of Home Care charges by 40p (50% of the administrations proposal), thereby bringing our charges in line with the County (reference R35);

A further increase in the youth work provision thereby doubling the growth proposal (reference CYPG6);

Restore the luncheon club subsidy (reference R11);

Provide further funding to facilitate the development of the self-governance of community halls (reference G5);

Continue funding for school holidays youth work beyond 2009/10 (reference CYPG7);

Provide funding for a feasibility study into the possibility of the Council providing a mortgage/loan service;

Funding for civic functions………..

Establish a pilot scheme to provide affordable solar panel installations in private households;

Undertake a feasibility study into alternative sources of renewable energy for use in Council buildings;

Undertake a programme providing new, replacement or refurbished public conveniences in much needed areas of the City;

Developing allotments and community orchards

The above items are to be funded by:

One-off contribution towards school holidays youth work from C&YPS reserves;

Removal of growth item CXO2 which proposes an unnecessary increase in the publication of Link;

Further savings in agency costs across the council;

A reduction to the provision of price inflation of 0.25% reflecting the current economic climate;

Delivering Excellence:

An on-going reduction in the growth proposal to fund the additional senior management costs of the new structure;

A reduction in the amount of one-off funding of £1.5m allowing £1m to be used to fund the growth proposals above and reducing the revenue provision for the costs of prudential borrowing by £50k, thereby reducing the funding available by £0.5m.

The Delivering Excellence programme has, so far, been hugely expensive and delivered little benefit to the citizens of Leicester with the promise of further massive disruption to come. There are few firm proposals for improving overall efficiency in the Authority and the only thing that is certain is the long term engagement of expensive external consultants. We already have expertise within the Authority which proved more than capable of meeting the Governments efficiency target 2005-2008 without outside advice.

The Labour party having the majority voted against the amendment.