Tories mock Lib Dems over 'failure' to provide alternative budget

Conservatives taunt opposition and claim they have 'lost all credibility'

CONSERVATIVE councillors accused the Liberal Democrat Party of “losing all credibility” by failing to produce an alternative budget as last week's crunch meeting strayed into a political tug-of-war.

The Lib Dems instead tabled a proposed amendment to the budget, in which the group suggested using part of the £1.4m of transitional funding from the Government to delay some of the cuts and allow organisations affected more time to adjust.

The amendment, proposed by leader Alan Macro (Theale, Lib Dem), asked the ruling Conservative group to consider using £132,500 to delay the cuts to home-to-school transport until the start of the new school year.

He said this would allow the necessary improvement works to the walking routes to take place and give parents time to change their family arrangements to allow them to accompany or drive their children to school.

Also on the proposed amendment was a request to use £80,000 to delay the cuts to public transport for three months, which the Lib Dems said would give parish councils and local communities time to find alternative methods of funding.

Finally, the group asked for £21,000 to be used to delay cuts to school crossing patrols for one year.

But any shred of hope the Lib Dems had was shredded as, one by one, the majority of Conservatives stood up and voted against it.

However, three Tories – Paul Hewer (Hungerford), Tim Metcalfe (Purley on Thames) and Graham Pask (Bucklebury) – all abstained from the vote.

Alan Law (Con, Basildon) said: “Since 2007, the Liberal Democrats have consistently called on this council to use its reserves.

“If we had done I worked out the council would have run out of money at some point in the middle of 2010.

“They [Lib Dems] have not been bothered to produce an alternative budget tonight and have lost all credibility to be able to make any amendments.”

Lee Dillon (Lib Dem, Thatcham North), the opposition spokesman for finance, hit back, saying: “This is a clear amendment to try and make sure we have time to put in long-term solutions.”

He added that every alternative budget that the Lib Dems had produced in the past had been "shot down and ridiculed" by the Tories.