Government Continues to Hit Those Depending on County Services (Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats)

Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats <info@oxfordshirelibdems.org.uk>

Government Continues to Hit Those Depending on County Services

December 7, 2007 2:52 PM

Commenting on yesterday's announcement by Government of the funding to be given to Oxfordshire County Council in the next three years, Cllr Alan Armitage, Finance spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat opposition, said how disappointed he was with the 2% increase.

He said, "Even though we expected Government to continue to turn the screws on local government, this cannot be called anything other than bad news. Social care in particular remains underfunded and we are most alarmed at what this underfunding will mean for services to elderly people and children. It can only mean that further reductions in the level of service will follow unless the Council Tax rises significantly.

"However, capping and the unfair Council Tax remain in place. There was an opportunity for the Government to completely reform the Council Tax and replace it with a tax based on people's ability to pay. This opportunity was squandered. This paltry settlement and the rises it forces in the only other method of raising money at the Council's disposal - the Council Tax - will continue to hit the most vulnerable hardest of all."