A strong contingent of Exeter Lib Dems attended the regional hustings in Plymouth last night. Norman Lamb and Tim Farron gave bouyant performances to an audience of experienced campaigners and brand new members.
Speak up to save YOUR services Exeter Liberal Democrats have been fighting a positive campaign to prioritise our local services, like community patrol and street sweeping. Labour's priority for Exeter is a £20 million swimming pool. They are asking residents what sacrifices YOU will make in order to fund this luxury facility. A further £10 million will be borrowed (in addition to the current debt of £35 million) to deliver this project.
Your favourite Council cuts on a postcard please because we are now in it together! Labour's chickens are coming home to roost, and their leader, Pete Edwards, is in a flap. He is asking residents where to make cuts to save money. Try this, Pete. How about not spending £57000 on a consultation trying to pin the blame on the government. Perhaps look at the latest taxpayer funded Citizen newspaper headlining £750000 on a running track. How about not blowing the Council's assets and then spending £35 million pounds of borrowed money the Council never had, which has turned an annual investment income of £1.3 million in 2008 to an annual debt cost of £2.3 million in 2015. This switch is about £3.6 million per year off the services we used to enjoy, not far off the amount Pete wants us to find for him now.
Exeter Lib Dem Councillors are famed for working all year round and keeping people in touch with 'Focus' newsletters.
Following an article in the local St Thomas 'Focus' newsletter about the proliferation of weeds in the city, 5 residents have responded mentioning weeds, some opposing the use of chemicals.
Those who like allotments in our city must be a bit confused. On one hand allotment holders are being told they can no longer get any financial support from the city council because of the nasty government taking it's money away. On the other hand, news about the proposed £20 million swimming pool in Exeter has been presented as Labour investing in the city despite the recession. However the pool will not be magically produced by the Labour-dominated Exeter City Council - it needs to be paid for. Their plan is to save up for half of it and borrow the rest. The only trouble is that they are still paying for the museum and a raft of other unfunded projects. Since the Council was completely debt-free in 2008, Labour have rapidly run up a debt of £35 million - that is about £290 for every man, woman and child in Exeter. This debt has to be repaid with interest.
Labour-controlled Exeter City Council decided to slash Community Patrol and Environmental Health staff at an Executive meeting today. Cllr Adrian Fullam (Lib Dem) criticised the decision: "These lost services are a direct result of the £2m debt repayments the Council is now paying after years of overspending." Community Patrol is being reduced from 7 staff to 4 staff. Environmental Enforcement is being reduced from 5 staff to 3 staff. This will make it more difficult for the Council to monitor and report anti-social behaviour and will reduce the ability of the Council to report problems in the community such as noise nuisance. Response times to enquiries from the public are bound to get a lot worse.
At an Executive meeting tonight the Council's Local Council Tax support scheme was reviewed. Following a question from Lib Dem Councillor Adrian Fullam, it was revealed that only £13250 of the Exceptional Hardship fund was spent out of a budget of £35000. The unspent money has been returned to Council coffers. Either the amount of hardship in the city is being exaggerated for political purposes or the Labour Council is failing to help those in need.
The Budget has confirmed victory for the Liberal Democrats in our campaign to deliver an £800 tax cut for people on low and middle incomes.
The Budget announced that the Income Tax Personal Allowance will be raised to £10,000 in April 2014 - one year sooner than had been expected. This means 48,700 ordinary working people in Exeter will get a further Income Tax cut, bringing the total tax cut to £700 a year since Liberal Democrats joined the Coalition Government.
Families in Exeter are to get greater financial support for childcare thanks to a major new initiative.
Following pressure from the Liberal Democrats, the Coalition Government has clarified that Armed Forces families and foster carers will be protected from changes to Housing Benefit. This follows yesterday's announcement that families with severely disabled children will also be exempt.
