MONEY TO BURN?

Surrey Heath Liberal Democrats - working for you, for a better future <info@surreyheathlibdems.org.uk>

MONEY TO BURN?

February 20, 2007 12:03 AM

Money to Burn Residents in Surrey Heath are used to bad news from their Tory Council.

Tory Surrey Heath Borough Council was rated the WORST in Surrey by the independent Audit Commission in September 2004.

Last year it's affordable housing service was rated as 'poor' with 'poor prospects for improvement'.

Due to Tory failure, the Planning Department has been so inadequately staffed that planning decisions have been delayed causing construction companies to claim that jobs are being lost in the local building industry.

Most recently, there has been the fiasco over parking in Camberley Town Centre linked to the new Atrium development. The Council failed to plan properly for the closure of the car parks west of Park Street. They only had 20 years or more to come up with an effective plan and even botched that!

Despite Tory claims that things can only get better, and that they are operating a 'tight financial ship', your Lib Dem Councillors can reveal that things are still just as bad.

Lib Dem Councillors have uncovered an area where the Tories are more than happy to spend your money - CONSULTANTS.

From 2003/04 to 2005/06 they spent over £2 million of your council tax on consultants. In the first nine months of 2006 they have already spent a staggering £430,000 on payments to consultants!

Using consultants can sometimes be a good idea, especially if their use is properly planned and financially well managed, and brings about additional services for residents - however there is little evidence of how residents have benefited from this expenditure.

To cap it all, our Conservative run Council is estimating it will overspend its budget by £285,000 at a time when it is SUPPOSED to be saving money by operating a 'cash limited' budgetary approach!

Lib Dem Cllr David Whitcroft said "The Conservatives at Surrey Heath never seem to learn! When we take control of Surrey Heath after the local elections in May, we promise to spend residents' money wisely - and to lose the title of 'Worst Council in Surrey'!"