PRESS RELEASE
Issued by:
Councillor Stuart Kelly
Leader, Liberal Democrat Group
Date of Issue: March 1st 2007
Contact number: 0151 653 9077

Liberal Democrat Budget - protecting services under threat

Wirral Council tonight debates its budget, and Liberal Democrats will seek to support and protect key services.

Waste collection and recycling, the youth service, libraries, and Wirral's local neighbourhood forums are all under threat from cuts.

Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Stuart Kelly said,

“We acknowledge the fact that we had a poor grant from Government, but cuts to what we see as priority services are no substitute for a long-term, joined-up strategy. Difficult and challenging times lie ahead.

“It's time to focus on what our priorities are - on what matters to local people.

“Liberal Democrats have been consistent over the years in identifying our priorities and reflecting them in our budget resolutions and amendments.

“This year is no different.

“We continue unashamedly to promote the Streetscene service. Now is not the time to pull resources out of this service.

“We continue to support our youth services. We will not support a cut of £200,000 from the youth service budget. Youth workers will have to be withdrawn and youth clubs may have to close.

“We also support measures to improve community safety.

“We reaffirm our commitment to the Nottingham Declaration and the whole issue of climate change. We'd like to go further and use the planning system to encourage people to use microgeneration in their own homes.

“We also recognise in our budget that Council tax places a burden on people with fixed incomes such as pensioners, and I welcome the conversion of the other parties to the recognition of that fact. It's about time they listened to the arguments we've been making.

“Finally, we believe power should be taken out of the Town Hall and into our neighbourhoods. We want local people to decide on local issues, in their own areas. That is why we oppose the cuts to Wirral's Area Forums and will seek to keep them as local as possible.”

The Liberal Democrat Budget proposals and amendments will be debated at tonight's Budget Council meeting.

Click here for Councillor Kelly's speech to Budget Council 1 March