Tories attack little time for consultation
People in Stirling are hard pressed to properly scrutinise options before Stirling Council sets its budget say the Tories, with at least one consultation event having been cancelled this week.
A consultation meeting in Killin on Tuesday failed to go ahead due to lack of people registering to attend and only 12 people showed up to an event in Balfron on Monday.
Conservative councillors say they have serious concerns over some of the proposals and are“appalled”by the lack of time the public have been given, with the options released just last week ahead of a budget meeting set for February 22.
They say it also means there will be little time to come up with different options to balance the books if some proposals are ditched.
They add the £1.5million the council is looking to save in the coming year assumes a maximum Council Tax rise of three per cent in the coming year, but that the true savings needed are £3million and over the next five years the council would have to assume a maximum Council Tax rise in each of those years.
As well as proposals for the coming year, those scheduled for future years need time to be closely looked at say the Tories as some of the consequences are not immediately evident.
The Tory group say when they led the council budget proposals were produced months ahead to afford proper public consultation, and that while at first glance some proposals sound“fairly innocuous”many could have serious ramifications such as shared headships, reducing support staff, reviewing advice services, Active Stirling cuts, McLaren Leisure Centre cuts, increased car parking charges, increasing telecare charges for the old and vulnerable, cutting back on payments to many voluntary organisations providing valuable services, less grass cutting, stopping community deep cleans.
Tory group leader Councillor Neil Benny said:“No one is arguing that we do not need to make savings but the just released proposals create many questions that must be addressed before decisions are taken. I am genuinely shocked that these proposals have been kept secret until the last possible moment. We all know they were prepared months ago.”
Trossachs and Teith councillor Martin Earl said:“I was very concerned to be informed the Budget meeting scheduled for Killin on Tuesday was cancelled. I do have every sympathy for officers at the council as they have been put in an almost impossible position to try and organise public meetings and raise awareness due to the SNP-led administration deliberately holding back the budget proposals until the last possible moment.”
Dunblane and Bridge of Allan councillors Alastair Majury and Douglas Dodds meanwhile are unhappy no meetings were scheduled for their area.
Councillor Majury said :“Lots of contentious proposals, less than a month before a budget needs to be set by law and no opportunity for residents across the area to quiz anyone in a public meeting. I do not believe the proposal to cut funding to the Smith is the only controversial proposal.”
A Stirling SNP spokesperson said, however:“Cocky comments from Councillor Majury and co are all too commonplace but the SNP-led administration on Stirling Council has been involved in detailed discussions with officials and colleagues from Labour to come up with budget options for consideration that fend off the very worst of Tory austerity.
“The £200 million cut to day-to-day spending in Scotland from the Tory Westminster Government will directly hit our local services and it is important the council does everything it can to mitigate against this as best it can.”
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