TORIES SHOULD 'PUT US FIRST' WITH BUDGET Print E-mail

ANTHONY FAIRCLOUGH, Merton Lib Dems, in the Wimbledon Guardian and the Wimbledon Post, Thursday 11th January 2007

"The local Conservatives have a great opportunity to show that they really are “putting you first”, as their election slogan and new council motto would suggest; they’ve begun work on their first budget since 1990. The Tory council leadership has already met to discuss possible service cuts and council tax increases.  

The Council's budget is of major importance, but currently residents don’t really have much of a say in the process. Surely the Council should make some effort to actually involve residents in making the decisions? For example, we would like to see 'budget open days' across the borough, which could be attended by officers, councillors, and residents. These would be a good opportunity for people to learn more about the budget process and would open it up, making the Council more accountable. Councillors could go into schools and community meetings and talk through the issues and the hard decisions – and this would allow people to have direct input on issues they feel strongly about."

 

< Prev