Cabinet accused of electioneering over budget

Buy photos » Stratford District Council leader Chris Saint refused to be drawn on claims of electioneering. Picture by Jon Mullis 31.011.005.strat.jm2 (www.buyphotos247.com)

THE RULING Conservatives on Stratford District Council have been accused of electioneering after it was revealed budget plans included cutting council tax ahead of elections this year - only to increase it after.

Proposals are set to go before the council's cabinet on Monday (January 16) and show the Tories propose to cut council tax by one per cent this year, when elections will be held in May, but increase it by 2.5 per cent the following year.

It means the district element of the average band D council tax will reduce slightly from £129.34 to £128.05 this year before going up. The district element accounts for around ten per cent of the overall Council Tax demand.

Liberal Democrat leader, Coun Hazel Wright, said the proposals represented 'blatant electioneering'.

She said: "Using reserves to cut the district's council tax by one per cent this year - when there are district elections - and then putting up council tax 2.5 per cent the next year, when there are no district elections - this is a blatant electioneering budget.

"Raiding the council's reserves in this way would take the overall reserves well below the £2 million level that council officers have said were needed in the past to be prudent."

And she also hit out at what is likely to be one of the more controversial elements of the budget - proposals to introduce a 20p charge to use toilets in the town centre.

"It's ironic on Monday the cabinet are adopting a new tourism strategy, setting as a priority the improvement of visitor facilities and the visitor experience," she continued.

"Yet the first thing they do in the budget is to bring in a charge of 20p a time for some of the public toilets."

District council leader, Christ Saint, would not be drawn on claims of electioneering but insisted the initial cut would be funded partly through a Government grant which rewards council's which don't increase tax and through 'budget adjustments'.

He insisted the budget meant less savings and therefore cuts to services than had been originally proposed.

He said: "The budget presented for approval by the Cabinet next Monday presupposes income charging from three public conveniences in Stratford town while keeping all the others in the district open, removing the threat of closure.

"This proposed budget seeks significantly fewer savings than last year if approved."