More on the County budget debate
We set out the amendment to the County budget that Liberal Democrats suppoted here.
Several of our County Councillors have since written about the debate and we show a few as follows.
Councillor John Field wrote:-
My contribution to the budget debate.
In these budget debates there is usually broad agreement on the services we need to deliver, many are statutory. The differences are what quantity and what quality should we deliver and to whom? The budget outlines your choices for this year. You have a shortfall but in this election year you are filling it from reserves. What will you do in the next three years. You continually point out that reserves can be used only once so you just show a gap next year and the next and the one after that. £158 million in total.
Councillor Rout said that you have no need to take 5% total council tax from residents but your own budget gap forecast shows that is not true. What part of the £158 million gap don't you understand? That exceeds even your total reserves by some extent. What will get cut?
Councillor Bee mentioned that we should have raised the elements of our amendment at Scrutiny. I did raise the 3% for social care and was told the Conservative group had agreed the numbers and any attempt to advocate change would fail.
You point out you are determined to keep tax low for those suffering income reductions. What about those who are too poor to pay council tax.
The core issue is that the government expects you to increase tax by the amount they allow and they base their arithmetic on that basis. That is why when you complain in various forum that Suffolk gets low grants from Government it is your own choice. Government bases its judgment of your needs on your past spend.
We all believe that central government needs to take up the costs of some services but they are determined to force us to raise funds locally. We all pay tax wherever it is raised although centrally raised taxes are more fairly focused. However the Conservative Government have no intention of funding us further: in their view our past low spend shows that we don't need extra and we need to understand that.
I want to know what you intend to do to address your problem? Lacking that knowledge I will vote against.
Councillor Caroline Page wrote:-
Speaking on Zoom to the Suffolk LibDem, Green and Independent groups amendment to #Suffolk's 20-21 budget. Outvoted of course, with Labour not even bothering to have skin in the game and Conservative fingers firmly in ears, talking largely of past low tax glories and eyes wide shut to the future outcomes. They "are proud that"... they have met their statutory commitments. You couldn't make it up!
Of course never once admitting Suffolk's current lack of resilience or strategic planning (sustainable transport, climate, even Covid recovery) or that it is rooted in past Tory practice.
They talk about 'the vulnerable' but the vulnerable deserve more than talk! For the Conservatives, the vulnerable are Band D tax payers maybe paying 26p a week more to ensure services are met. As it is, swathes of the countryside are no longer served by buses but only "community transport."
I reminded them of the horrifying fact that all community transport bus-pass eligibility (for old, young, disabled) was cut by the Conservatives in 2019 to save a very specific £300,000. (Check for yourselves-the papers are public documents) Penny wise pound foolish, as ever. That new electric Sax- Wickham Market bus taxi will cost you £7 a trip however vulnerable you are.
Rather puts 26p a week for those who need no support to pay council tax in the shade.
Doesn't it?
Councillor Inga Lockington wrote:-
the Government recognised the need for extra funding for Local Councils. Sadly, they only offered a One Year settlement which included an additional 2% for General Services and 3% for Adult Social Care, to be raised through Local Council Tax.
Our Group at the County looked carefully at the County Budget and the situation we are in at the moment but also wanted to look ahead.
The last year has been really challenging for most of us. In recent years the County Council has reduced its support to important charities like Citizens Advice. Now several Charities that rely on Charity Shops and street collections, have less money for their important work in supporting the health and well-being of our communities.
In setting the budget we also thought about the future and how we must do more to deal with Climate Change. Like Covid-19, climate change will also affect our World and it will take many years to turn that around. This is why there is a climate emergency NOW.
So much of our proposed funding would have gone towards protecting us from climate change and the harmful health and environmental effects of air pollution. This cannot be put off.
Once Covid-19 restrictions on Public Transport have been lifted, we need services for Town residents and visitors who cannot walk or cycle, so that everyone can get out and about again without needing to use their cars, for those shorter urban journeys.
Photo - Caroline Page using Zoom