27th Apr 2010 16:22
Posted by: Chris Sadler
Posted by: Chris Sadler
10 Facts the Conservative Manifesto does not tell you, but you really ought to know
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- It is simply not true that the “Audit Commission awarded Elmbridge Borough Council a top three star rating”. The rating scale is 1 – 4, Elmbridge got a 3 star rating which is good, but some District Councils, such as Sevenoaks, performed excellently and were awarded 4 stars.
- During the last 5 years of the Residents’ Group Administration, Elmbridge really did get an “Excellent” rating from the Audit Commission, and its part of your overall Council Tax bill increased by less in percentage terms than the rest of your Council Tax bill which was set by Conservative controlled Surrey County Council and Surrey Police. In 2003 - 2004 alone, the amount that Surrey County Council increased its part of the Council Tax bill was almost twice the amount that Elmbridge Borough Council increased its part of the Council Tax over the entire 5 year period.
- 17,000 daffodil bulbs were planted and 10 little signs, costing over £2600, were put up to tell you how nice they would be.
- We are delighted to see recycling levels increase and the amount of waste taken to landfill reduced. Most of the recycling arrangements – Boroughwide blue top bins and green waste collections - were agreed by the Residents’ Group Administration.
- It is amazing that they have the cheek to put a picture of the Xcel Leisure Complex in their manifesto. The Conservative Group tried to stop it being built, synthetic turf pitch and all, in 2004, see the minutes of the Council meeting of 29 September 2004 for who voted which way. Since then the Conservative leadership have quietly ( but unsuccessfully) tried to find ways to sell it off .
- Free swimming for Under 16s and Over 60s is provided by the Council, but only because Central Government funds the scheme under countrywide arrangements.
- When Residents’ Group Councillors first suggested freezing Councillor Allowances at the November 2008 Cabinet meeting, the Conservative leader of the Council described anyone supporting the idea as “crackers” and Cabinet voted to recommend a 3% rise in Allowances for 2009 - 2010. Only at the Council meeting on 3rd December 2008, when an amendment proposing that Allowances should be frozen, was put by a Resident Councillor seconded by a Liberal Democrat Councillor was there a backbench revolt amongst Conservative Councillors, and the amendment was carried.
- The Council’s reserves may be healthy, but they are being used up rapidly, £841,000 this year, whilst Council Tax is kept artificially low ahead of the Elections.
- Elmbridge did not lose any money in the Icelandic Bank debacle, because prudent policies had been established by the Residents Group Administration. At Surrey County Council, Conservative run for many years, the lack of such prudent policies meant they had £20 million “invested” with Icelandic banks.
- “ engage the public and community groups in the running of our village halls to increase usage” – gobbledegook phrases which really mean “ we will withdraw our financial support for public halls and board them up if no-one comes forward to take them off our hands. Just look at what happened to Ansell Hall on Fieldcommon. Your local hall could be next.
