Lib Dem Budget Plans: A better deal for Norwich (Update!)

11.13.00am GMT Wed 3rd Mar 2010

While some of the group's budget initiatives were taken on board by the Labour administration, Lib Dems were disappointed that Labour did not go further.

In a letter to the local press Cllr Brian Watkins, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Norwich City Council, outlines the group's reaction:

Dear Evening News,

It was disappointing that Labour's budget, including a 2.2% council tax rise, was passed at last week's city council meeting ('Councillors agree to increase tax for city' EN 24/02/10). Liberal Democrats and Conservatives voted against the budget, whilst the Green Party once again abstained from voting on a key council decision.

Despite our reservations with the overall budget, we were pleased to play a positive role in negotiations and back an amendment to the budget that responded to Lib Dem proposals on economic development and neighbourhood devolution.

At the meeting, we argued that in the current economic climate it was wrong to take money away from economic development. Small businesses are the lifeblood of the local economy and we think that the council should be proactive in supporting them. We were pleased that some of our arguments were taken on board and an additional £50,000 was allocated to economic development.

We also argued that more money needed to be devolved to local communities in order to give residents real power over where their council tax is spent . We were happy that Labour took on this idea and a total of £40,000 was allocated for participatory budgeting.

They also responded to suggestions from all three opposition parties that councillor allowances should be frozen. In the present economic climate, it would have been wrong for councillors to have given themselves an inflationary increase.

However, our calls for a roll-out of a 20mph speed limit in residential areas, for the council's call centre to be kept in-house for the time being, and for expensive IT and accommodation reviews to be postponed, fell on deaf ears. This was disappointing, as was Labour's refusal to accept a lower council tax rate which would have put more money into the pockets of local council tax payers.

Overall, I am pleased that Liberal Democrats helped to get more money allocated to sustainable economic development and to community devolution. Labour did go some way in backing our ideas, but disappointingly not far enough. That is why we had to vote against the overall budget.

Cllr Brian Watkins

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group

Norwich City Council