Budget Response from Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats (Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats)

Budget Response from Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats

February 22, 2008 10:16 AM

Council tax will rise by 5.4% overall from April 2008

Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Jonathan Lees, has issued the following press statement against the borough council's increase in council tax of 4.5%.

"It was the same budget as usual, a top-down approach lacking in imagination. There is no appreciation of what residents actually want because there was little movement of money to their priorities. Even some of the council's own "key priorities" have minimal funding - the subjects of climate change and young people being two good examples of this. There should be a clear vision for the future, prioritisation and an agenda for action. Squeezing the figures year on year is not sustainable: council buildings can only be sold once, resources will only last so long and staff can only work so hard."

"Also, the borough council appears to have washed its hands of any responsibility for footpaths, roads and parking on the basis that these subjects are entirely the responsibility of the county council and no additional input is necessary at borough level. In monetary terms the Liberal Democrat group had agreed an increase in council tax of 3.9% was appropriate and did not support the budget."

Council tax will rise by 5.4% overall from April 2008. 76% of council tax goes to Surrey County Council (their increase was 4.8%). 13% goes to the Police (their increase was 9.7%). 11% goes to the borough council (their increase was 4.5%).

Contact Cllr Jonathan Lees for more information on the Opposition response to the budget which was agreed at a meeting of the council on 19th February 2008.

Epsom & Ewell Liberal Democrats

Working to make Epsom & Ewell an even better place to live and work