Labour party anger at Budget process change

Date published: 06 February 2007

The local Labour party has criticised the Liberal Democrat administration's change of procedure n setting the Council budget. In previous years the process has allowed councillors to scrutinise budget proposals and give their recommendations to Cabinet before the proposals are finally approved by Council.

1. Scrutiny
2. Cabinet decision
3. Council approval

Labour Councillor Ian Robertson said: "It's reasonably democratic and it’s easy to follow: not so for our brain-dead Lib Dem Administration.  These steps are much too complicated for them to deal with. In their wisdom, this year they have done it:

1. Cabinet decision
2. Scrutiny
3. Council approval

"So 26 Councillors and Officers spent three hours sat round a big table in the town hall to scrutinise next year's budget. Lots of questions, comments and explanations - normally, these would inform Cabinet when making its decision. But this year the Cabinet had already decided!

"So what happens to the Scrutiny Committee recommendations? "Left on a clerk's desk to be filed. So much for openness and democracy.

"In addition, as the Council only pays lip service to transparency, we don't know how much this session cost you, the Council Taxpayer, but whatever it cost, it was money down the drain.

"The Committee Chairwoman, Councillor Jacqui Beswick, expressed her displeasure at what had been done and insisted in no uncertain terms that this must never be allowed to happen again."