Totnes Constituency Liberal Democrats condemn South Hams District Council's 'shabby and complacent budget'

12.00.00am GMT Thu 12th Feb 2004

Today's decision by South Hams District Council to increased Council Tax by 4.9% whilst increasing income from other sources by the equivalent of a further 9% was condemned today as a shameless deception by Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson Mike Treleaven.

The Conservative run council voted for a Council Tax increase of more than twice the rate of inflation and introduced stealth tax increases equivalent to a further 9% on Council Tax. Parking and ferry charges have increased by over £220,000, £50,000 has been deferred from repairs and maintenance and the reserves have been raided for £40,000.Liberal Democrat Councillors did not support the proposed budget.

Despite these increases the Council still spends 60% less on culture and heritage than equivalent councils, 22% less on tourism and 30% less on economic development.

Speaking after the increases were announced Mike Treleaven said:

'Yet again we have the Conservative run council hiding behind above inflation increases in charges to balance the books whilst increasing Council Tax by double the rate of inflation. We all know the problems brought about by the reduction in central government grant, but the Council should take a good look at itself.

• How can they justify an additional expenditure of £200,000 on IT ?

• How can they justify spending 60% more on street cleaning than other equivalent councils in Devon? That amounts to over £400,000 per year equivalent to 10% decrease in Council Tax. We all like clean streets, but are we getting value for money?

• Why do we generate 30% more income from car parks than other equivalent authorities?

• Why do we cut grants to preserve our heritage and museums when small sums from the Council would generate much, much larger sums from other sources? Totnes is losing its museum grant and there is no money to help preserve the Butterwalk.

• Why do we spend 20% less on tourism than other equivalent authorities when we live in an area economically dependent on tourism?

• Why do we spend 30% less on economic development than other equivalent authorities when we should be encouraging economic prosperity?'

• Why should Dartmouth ferry users be asked to contribute a further £40,000 to the council coffers on top of the £100,000 the ferry already generates?

He continued:

' We all want to see decent services in an economical prosperous community, but we must provide

these in an open and honest way without the imposition of back door taxes. The huge disparity in

spending compared with other similar councils need a thorough investigation and explanation. The final

disgrace as far as I am concerned is the imposition of parking charges for the disabled, a decision I find

totally appalling.'