Come clean about low council tax of the past

The following was a speech at full council on Wednesday, October 14:

Madam Mayor – thank you for calling me to speak.

We all know and the public know that RBWM finances were in poor shape before we went into the COVID-19 crisis and we were in no shape to weather this storm or any other significant event. To suggest otherwise is an intolerable deception.

It’s time for the Conservative Group to come clean with the electorate on reducing council tax, its implications, the motives

and effects on RBWM Services to the public.

For many years councillors past and present on this side of the chamber have cautioned on continual reductions in council tax and even attempted to remove the leadership responsible.

All to no avail.

We have all benefited greatly from low council tax, but now the party is over.

If the central Government keeps the council tax cap at a 3 per cent legal maximum then surely this paper should include a referendum with the RBWM electorate to ask for a greater increase than legally permitted.

The electorate deserve more than some sneaky behind the scenes deal with central Government on the back of COVID-19.

The Conservative leadership must set out the hard choices to the electorate.

These are dramatic cuts in service levels, cessation of some non-statutory

services and the persistent maximum legal increase in council tax coupled with a firesale of RBWM capital assets, OR a significant increase in council tax coupled with a sensible sustainable year-on-year reductions in the Borough’s pension deficit and capital debt.

The choice between an honourable transparent path and a grubby behind the scenes deal is in the hands of the Conservative Group.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Cllr GEOFF HILL The Borough First, Oldfield