Leicestershire County Council Tories ask rivals for savings ideas
County Hall's Tory leaders are inviting opposition councillors to help them find millions of pounds in savings over the next four years.
The Conservative administration at Leicestershire County Council said it needed to save £79 million between now and 2017 to balance the books in the face of Government grant cuts.
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County Hall's Tory leaders are asking their rivals for savings ideas
It has so far established where £49 million could be saved.
The Tories are now looking to set up an all-party group to identify where the remainder will come from.
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Opposition councillors, however, questioned the motives of the Conservatives.
They fear the Tories would dismiss good ideas or say other parties had been complicit in unpopular positions.
Council leader Nick Rushton said: "We are looking at something like a Government of all the talents.
"We want to work with the opposition to find the best way of providing good services at the lowest cost."
He said there would be four Conservative members, two Liberal Democrats and one Labour. The group, which is expected to meet after the elections in May.
It would be chaired by deputy council leader Byron Rhodes.
Coun Rushton said: "Whoever wins, there's no money.
"But we can't keep salami slicing at things. There will probably be things we have to withdraw from. This group will have to think the unthinkable."
Lib Dem group leader Simon Galton said: "In principle it could work but we would want cast-iron assurance our ideas would be taken seriously.
"We put forward a couple of amendments to the budget which the Tories disregarded.
"If that is their approach, we will walk away from this.
"We don't want these meetings to be cosy chats after which the Tories will make their decisions and put out press releases saying we have gone along with them."
Labour leader Max Hunt will sit on the group.
He said: "Of course we have to save money because of the severity of Government cuts and I am keen for Labour members to participate in this.
"We want to edge the Tories towards making efficiencies rather than just saying 'cuts, cuts, cuts'."
Coun Rhodes said opposition members of the group would be taken seriously.
9 Comments
by TomBirdMH
Monday, March 04 2013, 9:47AM
“They are trying to distract attention away from their incompetence in getting rid of David Parsons.”
by johnboy313
Friday, March 01 2013, 6:53PM
“Totally pathetic Tory council asks the opposition on ways to save money, only so it can blame them for cuts. If you can't do the job yourself have a new election and resign.”
by zygote3
Friday, March 01 2013, 4:17PM
“Is it me, or has the standard of literacy and spelling amongst Conservative District Councillors gone to the dogs these days?”
by leonspence
Friday, March 01 2013, 4:16PM
“As an elected representative I believe any comment I make in a public forum should be attributable to me, hence the reason you see my name and photograph.
If people agree with me then great, if they do not then at least hopefully they can see I have been transparent.
I am more than happy to explain why Labour did not offer an alternative budget on Tuesday.
In previous years we have tabled amendments to budget motions.
Clearly at the present time the Conservative group have a workable majority and as such, due to the whipping arrangements all parties use, there is no realistic likelihood of such an amendment ever being successful.
As such, as official opposition, we choose to utilise that role to scrutinise and when relevant oppose administration positions, not as routine but by way of a reasoned position.
The budget tabled this week was not all bad. In fact, given the current state of the economy we actively supported freezing Council Tax this year. However, in a budget proposal which also included cuts to front line services which, we felt were not needed and were affordable, we felt we could not support the overall proposal.
As I said people may choose to agree or disagree with what I write, but at least they know it is me saying it.”
by Gamekeeper
Friday, March 01 2013, 3:52PM
“I chose not to declare my identity soes not to give myself any unfair advantage and publicity.”
by Gamekeeper
Friday, March 01 2013, 3:44PM
“So Cllr Spence. No mention about not having an alternative budget or ideas how to put matters right, not then , not now ,in fact not ever !!!”
by leonspence
Friday, March 01 2013, 2:50PM
“Graham (Gamekeeper).
Of course you have every right to hold your view about the Labour Party and their previous administration at NWLDC.
However, if you are the same Graham Allman who was previous North West Leicestershire Conservative Association Chairman and current NWLDC District Councillor (and also was present on Tuesday night) it would probably be fairer and more transparent to state yourself as such.
It is possibly this type of action that the other parties at County Hall are understandably concerned about?”
by Gamekeeper
Friday, March 01 2013, 1:42PM
“Well contived Cllr Rushton. Cross party working together for the good of all. I was at the District Council meeting in Coleville tuesday and whitnessed the labout party and their critism of the Tory adminerstration . They are in total dynial that it was them that got us into this mess and to make things worse , offered no alternative budget to the one proposed by your party.”
by disident3
Friday, March 01 2013, 10:18AM
“Brilliant about time, what is the most important scoring silly political points and calling each other silly names, work together to better your area. That is what you get money for, people may start to respect you.”