Council under Lib Dems was awarded Excellent status

THE decision by the Conservative controlled county council to introduce on-street parking charges has certainly got local Tories in a spin. Firstly one Conservative candidate, Mrs Wright, claims that there were no plans to introduce parking meters at all. A week later the Tory Leader of the Borough Council, Mike Hall says he’s written to the county council to express his views on the parking meter plans which allegedly do not exist!

One of your correspondents asks where is the evidence for the claims that parking meters are set to be introduced? If readers go to www. Leics.gov.uk and look at the agenda for the February meeting of the county council or the minutes for the previous Environment and Transport Scrutiny meeting the figures can be seen by all. The Tory County Council has agreed to raise £650,000 by the introduction of on-street parking charges. There is even a warning by council officers that this would be controversial.

As for Mike Hall’s claim that he has any influence – his record speaks for itself. All four of Hinckley and Bosworth’s Conservative county councillors voted for the introduction of parking charges. Three of these are also members of Mike Hall’s Tory administration at Hinckley. He can’t even persuade the group he leads to oppose parking meters – so much for his influence!

With regard to Cllr Hall’s final comments in his letter about the finance of the Borough Council, it is inevitable that politicians make claims and counter-claims during an election so again I would suggest to your readers to look back at all the independent audit reports and inspections undertaken during the last Lib Dem administration. During this time the council’s managing of resources was praised by auditors. Sound financial management by Lib Dem councillors enabled us to freeze Council Tax, collect the brown bins for free and deliver on all the town centre improvements which the Tories are now seeking to claim credit for. All this cumulated in the council being awarded an “excellent status” whereas under the Tories the council was rated just “fair.”

Cllr Stuart Bray Lib Dem Group Leader