Budget - latest

10.25.05pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 23rd Feb 2006

The Liberal Democrats Alternative Budget will be published on Monday. It will reverse some of the mean cuts made by the Conservatives and propose extra funding in Lib Dem priority areas.

Cllr Jeff Brooks Leader of the Opposition (Lib Dem, Thatcham West), has branded the Conservative budget a mean budget: "there are a whole range of mean cuts being made by the Conservatives that we intend to reverse in our alternative budget," he commented.

Cllr Denise Gaines (Lib Dem, Hungerford), Shadow Executive Member for Finance says, "Despite the above inflation settlement that they received from the Government the Conservatives are pleading poverty. At the same time they propose raiding funding promised to schools, hiking car parking charges in Newbury by up-to 29.6% and increasing care home costs for the elderly by 7%. This spin by the Conservatives on their first attempt at a budget is deeply misleading."

• Lib Dem run Thatcham Town Council has posted a tax rise of only 1.58%, and Lib Dem run Newbury Town Council has posted a rise of only 2.4%, both of which are well below the Conservative run Unitary Council's 2.9%. Inflation is running at 1.9% (January 2006). LD/Labour Basingstoke District are also below West Berkshire at 2.5%.

• Last year after finally winning a fair settlement from the Govt the Lib Dems halved the tax rise - this year the Tories only managed to cut 1% off the rise and that without fully explaining where £3.4 million of cuts will fall.

Key Tory charges increases:

- Up to 29.6% rise in car parking charges in Newbury (most 16.6%+). Lib Dems kept almost all Newbury parking charges down to 0% in the past 4 years to promote the town

- Charging residents £250 if they want a mobile CCTV erected in their area

Key Tory service reductions:

- Mean - Moving from Hot meals to Frozen meals for the elderly and vulnerable before a scrutiny on this has even been complete (scrutiny report due on April 4th 2006)

- Mean - Cutting the £7,000 Library Summer reading Challenge that almost 5,000 children participated in last year

- Mean - cutting £9,000 to the local arts

- Mean - cutting a pilot scheme in Burghfield to improve parenting skills and prevent antisocial behaviour

- Mean - Cutting the number of residential care beds

- Mean - Cutting the budget for Agency staff to help in under-resourced care homes