Damp squib debate on council tax (From Surrey Comet)

Damp squib debate on council tax

8:10am Friday 9th March 2007

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Kingston residents will continue to pay the highest council tax in London after the Liberal Democrats approved the council budget last week.

Residents in a band D property will pay £1,522 from April, an increase of just under 5 per cent.

We must reduce the council’s expenditure by at least £22million over the next four years.

Council leader Derek Osbourne

The debate before the figure was approved was dominated by discussions, and a petition over the proposed closure of day centres Newent House or the Hobkirk Centre, although nothing will be decided until after a public consultation.

So the damp squib of a debate, which lasted under three hours, ended with all proposals being adopted, including the retention of Tudor Drive Library.

Leader of the council, Councillor Derek Osbourne, said: "The budget for this year operates within a very specific context. We must reduce the council's expenditure by at least £22million over the next four years.

"That's a massive challenge and accounts for about 20 per cent of our budget."

There was plenty of dissent from the opposition councillors, who accused the administration of incompetence over a number of budgetary issues, most prominently the Rose of Kingston theatre and the Berrylands recycling trial.

Tory leader Councillor Howard Jones said: "The Lib Dem management of this council over the last four years has raised and raised council tax by more than £600. To residents that's an almost 50 per cent rise.

"This is inadequate and incompetent leadership by the Lib Dem executive."

But calls for a backbench revolt fell on deaf ears and it was a predictable victory for the Lib Dems.

For the first time in recent memory, there was no alternative budget from the main opposition party.

Coun Osbourne said: "They go out of their way to accuse others of financial incompetence yet they are incapable of offering any alternative.

"The only conclusion we can gather from this no-show is the one they are desperate not to admit. They cannot keep their promises to the residents and they know their spending commitments would have meant an increase in the council tax of well over 10 per cent."

Dozens of residents were in the public gallery, but most had left before the debate closed.

They were there primarily to present the council with a petition to save their day centre and there were annoyed mutterings from the crowd as it became clear there would be little movement on the issue before a public consultation, which is now in its early stages.

,li>What do you think of the council tax rise? Are you getting value for money? Post your comments below.

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