Liberal Democrat Budget Amendments - Seconding

Speech by Cllr Jean Fooks, Deputy Leader of the Opposition delivered to Council on Tue 9th Feb 2010

We propose increased income from evening and Sunday parking charges and a reduction in spin, back office, and costs of unnecessary glossy publications. Parking spaces were all full before, so there are no extra people coming into Oxford - it's just that it's free for them.

We on this side of the chamber are frankly astonished at the naivete and downright arrogance of the Conservatives in believing first that a Conservative Government will be elected, secondly that it will find the money to bale out councils who have been like foolish virgins crying and not providing for the future, and thirdly that if such a government were in office, and did hand over grants of the size assumed, that this would not mean cuts would be forced elsewhere to fund it!

So, our realistic proposals of only 2.5% increase in Council Tax enable us to reduce the damaging cuts proposed by the Conservatives and to fund a number of new services for Oxfordshire residents.

Cutting periodicals and newspapers in public libraries to give a measly £11,000 is jut mean - as is a reduction in fire safety advice to black and ethnic minority communities.

It is very hard to understand why it is thought to be be in any way justifiable to delete a Trading Standards Community Development Officer post, to stop supporting the Junior Citizens' programme who provides key life skills for over 5000 10 year old children, or to stop the annual electric blanket safety testing campaign. Not to mention cutting respite care for children with disabilities.

We have used some of our extra income to reverse these cuts.

Our new proposals include better services for children and adults, measures to reduce energy usage and carbon emissions to help reduce climate change and a recognition that we can expect more extreme weather so need to be better prepared for snow and flooding emergencies.

We need to encourage the use of public transport to reduce car usage and emissions, so have proposed improving public transport information.

These amendments to the Conservative budget reduce the damage it would inflict on elderly and vulnerable people, help to break the cycle of deprivation, and improve the environment and people's quality of life.

They provide a real choice for Council - at a lower tax rise next year - and give better value for money for the tax that is paid. I commend the Liberal Democrat amendments to you.