There is nothing a Lib Dem likes more than a deficit in spending. It gives them an opportunity to pick the residents’ pockets and impose their will on the electorate regardless of the damage caused to the communities. The deficit in Babergh’s current budget is to be partially filled by the imposition of higher parking charges from Hadleigh, Sudbury, Lavenham and possibly others. The deficit to the end of March is forecast to be £1.5 million (Dave Busby, Leader of Babergh, EADT December 18th). The cost of parking is said to be £425,000. Thus, just under a third of the Babergh deficit will be covered by the motorist. But wait. £425,000 a year is £38,000 a month which is an awful lot of money for lorryloads of cheap asphalt, white lines and ticket machines.
Where is the prudent management we need? Who is responsible for the £1.5 million overspend? And why is the first reaction to increase taxes?
All expenditure should be reviewed. All staff recruitment should be reviewed and as appropriate deferred. All salary increases and councillor allowances (above the basic) should be withheld.
Then we shall see who have the residents’ needs at heart and who is interested in just feathering their nests.
A petition against car parking charges can be found on
https://baberghmidsuffolk.moderngov.co.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=31&RPID=9027367&HPID=9027367
Disclaimer:
This blog/post is the sole responsibility of its author Brian Riley.
It has not been approved nor is it endorsed by Babergh District Council or South Suffolk Conservative Association.