No hiding place for Labour leadership
DEAR Editor, Birmingham City Council’s Labour-run cabinet has this week put forward a budget that includes a 4.99 per cent rise in council tax and over £70 million in ‘savings’ as well as substantial use of reserves.
They continue to blame central government cuts for this, but it is worth pointing out that last March they set a four-year ‘balanced’ budget that anticipated a reduction in funding of £14.55 million for this coming year, whereas in fact we have now seen an increase of £11.29 million – a positive difference of £25.85 million.
Indeed, funding will actually increase by over £50 million over the next four years.
So why are we not now talking about how that £25.85 million could be used to limit a rise in council tax, reduce previously planned savings or invest in services?
The answer lies in Councillor Clancy’s office in Victoria Square and the failure of this Labour council to deliver a budget it set for itself, overspending to record levels which now needs to be recouped.
There is no doubt that the last few years have been an extremely challenging environment for local government and we on the Conservative Group have been clear in thinking Birmingham should have more funding.
The public response to the consultation on the lower level of council tax originally proposed showed that the residents of Birmingham are astute, revealing that there was ‘scepticism in the council’s ability to use the money effectively to improve services’.
Even those who agreed with the tax rise often commented that this was only if the extra money was spent wisely.
This year’s budget plan reveals that £85 million of planned savings from last year were not carried out or the figures were wrong.
This is why at a time of the Labour council having a £25.85 million increase to its planned budget, it is still cutting services.
As a result of the failings by Labour this year the 2017/18 budget has come under an unprecedented level of external scrutiny.
I hope this means that the council will finally be getting a grip of its finances, but it also means that there is really no place left for the leader and deputy leader to hide.
Councillor Robert Alden Leader of the Conservative Group,
Birmingham City Council