Both local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidates support an amendment to minimise Council Tax in Dacorum
February 26, 2010 12:10 PM
At Wednesday's Dacorum Borough Council meeting, Christopher Townsend, who is the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for S W Herts and Councillor for Tring West and Rural, called for the Dacorum Borough to lower its Council Tax demand. Dr Richard Grayson, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Hemel Hempstead offered his full support for this amendment.
Speaking afterwards, Christopher Townsend said "It is important that we think carefully about Dacorum's budget and where to make savings, particularly in the current climate."
"What the Lib Dems proposed at the meeting on Wednesday was an amendment to minimise the increase in council tax - paid for by a cut in the Borough's communications budget."
Liberal Democrat group leader in Dacorum, Denise Rance said "Everybody is suffering financially at the moment and we have an obligation to be prudent with the council's expenditure, no matter how small the difference is between the now accepted increase in Council Tax proposed by the Lib Dems and the one originally proposed by the Tories."
"Our amendment to the Tories' proposal made it clear that there are still savings that can be identified and made within the current budget. But the Tories, supported by the Labour group, have chosen to ignore them."
Christopher Townsend said "The Tory leader tabled a complex amendment on the night which was not even handed out for councillors to read. This effectively stifled any serious debate on the budget because we did not know what it was we were debating. This is not democracy, it is a dominant party playing fast a loose with the proper process of scrutiny."
In full support, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Hemel Hempstead, Richard Grayson said "Liberal Democrat councillors are working hard to put a constructive alternative to the Conservative budget. I am especially disappointed that Conservative and Labour councillors joined forces to maintain the current level of self-publicity put out by the Council, against Lib Dem plans to make savings."
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