Tory overspending 'uncontrolled' - Gaines

12.01.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 7th Dec 2006

Following last week's meeting of West Berkshire Council's Tory Executive, Councillor Denise Gaines, who holds the shadow finance portfolio, has raised concerns over the dramatically increasing levels of overspend.

Councillor Gaines commented:

"There is currently a £1million overspend on the Council's budget for the financial year 2006-7, an overspend which has increased threefold in as many months. This to me is very worrying. This Tory administration seems to have no grip on the purse strings, and appear unconcerned about this situation. I will be keeping a very close eye on this dangerous trend which smacks of indifference, as well as incompetence."

Councillor Gaines continued:

"The Tory Councillor in charge of the Council's Finance seems to have a lamentable grasp of budget and finances. Repayments deferred to the next financial year (2007-8) will incur higher charges as interest rates are increasing - and in the meantime West Berkshire Council's taxpaying-public are missing out on their libraries, playgrounds and many other amenities."