Council finance woe down to ‘several astonishingly reckless decisions’

West Berkshire’s Conservative group has criticised the Lib Dem authority of taking just 21 months to “bring the council to the brink of bankruptcy”.

The council has asked the Government for an emergency £16m bailout.

The latest budget papers show it urgently needs a bailout or it will need to issue a s114 notice, the council equivalent of bankruptcy.

“Our top priority at this time is to work on behalf of our residents to ensure that those in need continue to receive the services they deserve,” said Conservative group leader Ross Mackinnon.

“The previous Conservative administration left office in 2023 with the council’s reserves £3.5m higher than in 2019.

“During our administration the Liberal Democrats berated us for our reserves being too high, every year proposing budget amendments to spend millions more of our reserves.

“Just 21 months later the Liberal Democrats are going cap-in-hand to the Government for a bailout.”

He says the council’s financial distress has been exacerbated by “several astonishingly reckless decisions” made by the Lib Dem administration:

Such as ‘wasting’ half a million pounds on a temporary grass pitch in Newbury for one football team and spending around £2m on another Local Plan.

And announcing to the commercial property market a fire sale of the council’s entire portfolio – although the council says it is not a fire sale, and that reciepts will boost the reserves sufficiently to pay the £16m back.

“It’s very clear – council finances are under pressure everywhere – but West Berkshire residents simply can’t trust the Liberal Democrats to apply good judgment and make the right decisions,” added Mr Mackinnon.

The Tory group recognises that West Berkshire Council, along with many other local authorities across the UK, finds its budget under pressure from the steep rises in demand for social care services and the consequent costs.

“For 18 years successive West Berkshire Conservative administrations kept spending and reserves at sensible levels, at times navigating very difficult financial circumstances, while funding services for our residents,” said Mr Mackinnon.

“At this critical time for West Berkshire Council, the Conservative Group makes a big, open, and comprehensive offer to the Liberal Democrats – we are willing and able to assist and help you deal with the financial turmoil facing West Berkshire to the fullest extent possible – you know where to find us.”