Last night was the council meeting to decide Bury's budget for the forthcoming year, and what a night it turned out to be. Cllr Peter Redstone told the council that, inline with Conservative promises at last years local elections, council tax would be less that inflation. A rise of 3.4% was announced, compare that with the previous three years of Labour Budgets and rises of 4.7, 4.8 and 4.9 percent respectively. Even with this rise unfortunately some services have had to be changed, however many of the savings are due to increased efficiencies and even a windfall from the sale of land in Radcliffe. Not only will tax rises be 3.4%, for pensioners who are not on benefits there will be no increase!
Naturally Labour had to despoil the evening by proposing an unsound and in some cases downright dangerous alternative. Cutting child care services and raiding Bury's reserves to offer a 0% increase, such an obvious headline grabbing political move for these power hungry maniacs! How anyone could trust them with a local council is beyond me, especially when they cannot keep Britains finances in check, why should we trust them lower down the greasy pole?
There was also a Lib Dem amendment to the Budget however again they show us they lack the courage of their own convictions and couldn't support it with their amendment!
