Group leaders clash over council finances at cabinet question time
Opposition councillors questioned Calderdale Council’s budget control as group leaders clashed over finances
Conservative group leader for Calderdale Council, Coun Steven Leigh, said he had concerns about aspects of the authority’s finances including overspending, increasing debt and running down of cash reserves.
Aiming his criticism at the council’s ruling Labour group at the council’s cabinet question time, Coun Leigh (Con, Ryburn) referred to council leader Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) recently calling for more government funding for the authority.
Coun Leigh said: “The recent request for additional government funding is disappointing to hear given the numerous examples of financial mismanagement by this Labour-run authority.
“Over several years I have witnessed overspending across the council’s services and projects, I’ve seen debt increase and reserves being run down to their minimum.
“This includes additional spending of £250,000 on consultants, £1.2m on the Local Plan, £500,000 to the waste contractor, and £3m on the town centre office strategy,” he said.
Coun Leigh said the £10.8m budget deficit before use of reserves which had been outlined in a recent second quarter project out-turn report amplified his concerns about financial responsibility further.
He asked Coun Scullion: “Before seeking additional assistance from central government, Labour must prioritise financial prudence and address the overspending – will you work to get the council’s finances in order or should we expect to find ourselves close to bankruptcy like Bradford and Kirklees?”
Coun Scullion said she refuted his description of Calderdale Council and said systemic problems were affecting councils of all political persuasions, facing huge pressures with demand for social care, special needs and dealing with homelessness, and argued inadequate government funding caused this.
“Rather than standing up and fighting for additional money – investment – you are trying to put the blame on this council.
“Our external auditors indicate that Calderdale is a well-run and well-managed council, especially financially,” she said.
Coun Scullion said in terms of the examples, the £1.2m Local Plan spend was over ten years and the waste contractor figure was not £500,000 but £450,000 and over three years as budgeted. Nationally, the country was facing a financial crisis with spiralling costs and inflation impacting duties the council legally had to undertake.
“There is a difference between planned spending that’s within our budget and overspends, and the two should not be conflated.
“The way in which finances have happened over the last 13 years has shifted the burden of local government finance onto the local taxpayer and away from central government and I think that balance has to pivot back.
“I’m disappointed that when we are facing a systemic cross-country problem with finances that you persist in implying this is just a problem for Calderdale,” she said.
As reported by the Courier, the council is looking at needing to make £7m of savings.
Its plans to do this include selling off The Shay, shutting Elland tip and cutting youth services.
The axe might also fall on the borough’s Christmas lights, street lighting and winter services.