Opinion
Featured in various local newspapers, February 2010:
Dear Editor,So we now have it in their own words; Labour want to ‘postpone’ the tough decisions on public spending until after the election.
What a dangerous, irresponsible way to manage tax-payers’ money.
Public spending is facing its biggest squeeze in decades, our country’s annual budget deficit is running at almost twice the amount we spend on the NHS, and each child is born already owing over £20,000 due to Government debt.
And Labour’s solution to this crisis? Postpone decisions for another day.
As part of their Council Budget proposals for this year, Labour has suggested taking money away from economic development and use it to ‘postpone’ half the council’s redundancies.
Not only is this proposal a classic case of burying their heads in the sand, but it is also unfair on those employees affected. Job losses, even when unavoidable, are always difficult. But it is surely not fair to say to those affected that ‘half of you might keep your job, but only for now’.
The budget proposals put forward by the Conservatives face up to the tough decisions facing public services and include major plans to make council services more efficient and effective.
While Labour proposes carrying on the way things were, Conservatives are working to ensure frontline services can be protected and improved within tighter budgets. The Conservatives proposed a sustainable budget that delivers the lowest Council Tax rise since B&NES was created, while investing in services such as road maintenance which will reduce costs in future years.
It’s increasingly clear that at both the local level and national level that Labour are not willing to take the action needed to address the challenges facing our country. It’s a shame that Labour Councillors here in B&NES are following Gordon Brown’s lead in burying their heads and hoping the problem goes away.
Yours faithfully,
Cllr John Whittock,
Cons, Midsomer Norton Redfield