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Wantage loses out
as Lib Dems forced into U-turns
Last night the
Vale of White Horse District Council met in Wantage Civic Hall
to debate the Council’s budget for the coming year. The Lib Dem
Executive proposed an inflation busting Council Tax increase of
4.99% in a budget that also included a number of savage cuts for
local groups.
Leading the response to the Lib Dem budget proposal, Shadow
Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Matthew Barber, described the
proposal as “a chaotic sham from start to finish”. Listing the
numerous failings of the Lib Dem administration over the last
year, Cllr Barber highlighted a huge overspend of £250,000
predicted by Council officers.
Cllr Bill Melotti, Conservative Councillor for Wantage Charlton
Ward, and candidate in the forthcoming County Council
by-election on 13th March said, “It is clear that Wantage will
lose out yet again to Abingdon as a result of this budget”. He
added, “My opponent in the by-election, Jenny Hannaby, refused
to guarantee the future of Wantage Civic Hall, and offered no
new investment in facilities at the Wantage Leisure Centre.”
Conservative Leader, Cllr Melinda Tilley, criticised the Lib Dem
budget proposal for cuts being made to community grants, and
increases in prices for community groups hiring the Council’s
halls. She said, “The inability of the Leader to get a grip on
his administration’s failings have led to front line cuts. The
grants budget has been cut by nearly 10% and bills for community
groups will increase to balance the Council’s books”
The lively debate was notable for two significant Lib Dem
U-turns. During his introduction to the budget, the Lib Dem
Council leader explained that he would be deferring the removal
of discounts for community groups. Cllr Matthew Barber responded
saying, “Tonight we see the most blatant act of cowardice: to
delay the cuts until after the Wantage & Grove by-elections. Why
can they not either have the courage of their convictions, or
even better follow our advice and do not make the cut!”
In the second shock retraction, Lib Dem County Candidate Jenny
Hannaby was forced to apologise to Conservative members in a
debate over funding for a review of the flood risk at Grove.
Conservative members have previously called for an independent
assessment, but the Lib Dems have not budgeted for the cost of
such a report, suggesting that they are still opposed to it.
Conservative Councillor for Grove, James McGee said, “It is
clearly for short term political gain, that Cllr Hannaby
promised at a recent public meeting to fight for an independent
review, in what appeared to be a commitment to get funding. She
has clearly not got the backing of the Lib Dems as there are no
plans in the budget for a report to assess the flood risks from
new housing at Grove airfield.
Cllr Bill Melotti concluded, “The Lib Dem Vale is in chaos.
Clearly they are determined to prop up their power base in
Abingdon at the cost of Wantage. Tonight we were told that the
Council will not provide funding for improvements to facilities
at the Wantage Leisure Centre; they will not guarantee the
future of the Civic Hall; local community groups are to have
funding cut by nearly 10%, and once the by-election is out of
the way, voluntary groups will have to pay double to use our
halls”. |
