"Lib Dems mount wrong challenge to Tory CC's 2012/13 budget"
The Conservative administration at Gloucestershire County today turned down the Lib Dems budget amendment seeking to use reserves for additional expenditure. Few of their suggestions were targeted at those most in need.
Green Councillor Sarah Lunnon pointed out that only a small Council Tax rise would ensure that those most able to pay to save services would do so. This would also protect the Councils base budget for future years and was an idea first mooted at Green Brighton Council and since taken up by 27 other councils, including two Tory Countys.
Taking 'Pickles shilling' was to accept his admitted aim of reducing councils' spending levels even further in the future. More jobs and services would have to go.
Council workers are having their pay frozen for the third year running; their pensions cost more, pay out less and later. The caring quality staff we need to meet the needs of vulnerable people are voting with their feet, with vacancies increasingly filled with agency workers who are not around long enough to build any relationships with the people they support. None of these workers are responsible for the economic crisis we are faced with. That is down to the city slickers and the Labour government.
The coalition government seems to believe that the rich work harder when you pay them more but the poor work harder when you pay them less. Could that be because the rich support their political parties?
