LABOUR PUSHED BACK AGAINST CUTS TO FREE PARKING IN TOWN CENTRES, INCREASED CHARGES TO RESIDENT PARKING ZONES AND WARD COUNCILLOR GRANTS
On Thursday evening, Central Bedfordshire Council held a Full Council Session to debate and vote on the new budget for the upcoming 4 year period (see the footage here: https://centralbedfordshire.public-i.tv/.../webcas.../856807)
The Independent Executive proposed a draft budget on the 5th December 2023 which contained several cuts and efficiencies. Among them were charging for garden waste collection and cutting Ward Councillor Grants, and a cut to bus subsidies across Bedfordshire, though this was scrapped after vocal opposition from several political groups, including Labour.
While sympathetic to the difficult financial position the new Independent Administration has been left in by the previous Tory Administration, the Central Bedfordshire’s Labour Team felt strongly that it could not support the budget as it stood, particularly when no impact assessments had been conducted. As Labour, we were elected to champion residents interests and protect public services. To this effect, we put together the following amendments to the budget with the aim of limiting its negative impacts:
To keep free parking in town centres, a lifeline for our struggling local economies.
To increase Resident Parking Zone (RPZ) fees gradually over the upcoming 4 years rather than with immediate effect.
To keep Ward Councillor Grants as they are, paying for this using the additional 2.5 million of funding CBC has received from Central Government.
There were many other issues that the Labour Team wished to push back on, however, Labour recognised the financial constraints of CBC, and concluded that the above cuts must be resisted, as they would have particularly negative impacts on residents and communities during a recession and cost of living crisis.
The Labour Team’s amendment to keep free parking failed by one vote following the Liberal Democrats abstaining and several Independents voting against it.
The Labour Team’s amendment to do a gradual increase in RPZ fees failed by two votes following the Liberal Democrats abstaining and a number of Independents voting against it.
The Labour Team’s amendment to keep Ward Councillor Grants passed with strong support from the Conservatives and some Independents. The Liberal Democrats abstained.
In addition to putting forward their own amendments, the Labour Team also supported Independent Cllr Victoria Harvey’s successful amendment which pushed back against the proposed cut of £20,000 to library resources, a cut which had the potential to impact the most disadvantaged children and young people. Furthermore, it supported the successful Liberal Democrat amendment which asked that the Leighton Buzzard Leisure Centre Project be brought forward to the 2024/2025 financial year.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats put forward several other amendments which the Labour Team did not feel able to support for a number of reasons. These amendments can be seen in the meeting footage and in its agenda (seen here: https://cms-centralbedfordshire-uk.azeusconvene.com/meeti...)
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