Labour shoots itself in the foot - Again!
February 8, 2005 11:47 AM
Cllr Barry Dodd
Bristol City Council's minority cabinet met this evening to try to agree a budget, after delaying last Friday's meeting because of difficulties in Social Services.
In the event they decided to recommend an increase in Council Tax of 4.9%, thought to be the highest the Government will allow, together with savage cuts in Social Services of £6.3m and more short term financial chicanery, which has been their downfall this year. The Liberal Democrats accused Labour of learning nothing from their folly last year when, together with the Conservatives, they forced through a budget amendment delaying £4.6m of expenditure to next year, against the advice of the rainbow cabinet running Bristol at that time. Now they have to pay that bill as well as the real problems that have arisen in Social Services.
Cllr Barry Dodd (Cotham Ward), Bristol's Lib Dem financial spokesperson, said "Were it not for this short sighted maneuver last year Labour would have been in a much better position to deal with current problems, as their own financial spokesman admitted at today's meeting. Unbelievably, they are trying a similar trick again this year which will leave them with a £3m problem next year but no pre-election record breaking grant from the Chancellor that they have had this year. When will they learn?"
Apart from their own financial mismanagement, the Lib Dems accuse Labour of failing to cut expenditure elsewhere in the Council's budget, instead of leaving Social Services alone to meet the bill, for what in many instances are costs beyond their control and some dumped from Labour's national policies. Social Services will have to make large cuts in services across the board, often in areas where they have failed in the recent past because of extreme pressures of demand. Large cuts will occur in home care, day care, very sheltered housing, secure accommodation and in the recruitment of social workers, amongst many others. Ironically, the meals on wheels budget will be increased next year by £200,000 so that consultation can take place on how to cut costs!
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