This Tory outrage is rather performative

The Conservative response to the new RBWM budget is confused and contradictor y.

Some have said the 4.99 per cent rise in council tax should be lower, despite this being the rate over 90 per cent of councils are setting (and the rate the previous administration budgeted).

No one is saying we should have a referendum to increase the rate.

We see faux outrage over funding for Windsor Museum for which they had removed funding and set an unachievable revenue target.

It appears from their budget that they were planning to close the museum, whereas we are working to secure and improve a museum service.

They don’t know what to say because this was a strong, credible balanced budget in near impossible circumstances, achieved via considerable scrutiny, from the corporate O&S committee, in which I sit, to the audit and governance committee, which I chair.

Unlike the previous administration, we welcome challenge as a critical friend.

The Conservative candidate for Windsor forgets that he was part of an administration that caused much of the mess we are now left to fix, which CIPFA described as uncontrolled, with insufficient challenge, indeed with challenge not even seen as a good thing.

We have been tough on spending, on contract management and capital strategy.

We have been inventive in inventive in raising revenue, particularly in maximising external funding.

The truth is that the Liberal Democrats are providing the strong, competent leadership across the Royal Borough in a way the Conservatives did not.

Cllr JULIAN TISI Windsor Liberal Democrats

Parliamentary candidate