Executive pressed to reveal impact of budget cuts on services

Speech by Stephen Cooksey on behalf of Liberal Demcrat group on Mole Valley District Council delivered to Statement to press on Thu 29th Jan 2009

We now know about the disgraceful Conservative policies to raise car parking charges, reduce support for the CAB and make life more difficult for allotment holders which are manifest in the proposed Mole Valley budget. But alongside this the Tories are planning to make deep cuts in the budgets for Dorking Halls, Leisure Services and Parks & Open Spaces which are likely to have disastrous effects on what those services can provide. The Leisure Services budget and the Parks & Open Spaces budgets will each be cut by £70,000 and the Dorking Halls budget by £74,000 - massive cuts with massive consequences.

When challenged about what effect these proposals will have on the services they respond by indicating that they haven't really thought about it - they have just decided to reduce Council support for these activities. We now know that some of the consequences for Dorking Halls will be to lose the traditional Christmas pantomime and reduce the number of shows to be presented there but we don't know what else is to be cut. The new evening parking charges will make life even more difficult. Having failed to hive off Dorking Halls to the private sector last year they now seem determined to do all they can to run down the venue. Dorking Halls is important to the community and is well managed, but instead of seeking to ensure its success the Conservative Executive seems to be doing everything it can to engineer failure.

The information about the effect of the Dorking Halls cuts did not come from the Conservative Councillors who made the decision - they remain silent. What will happen to Leisure Services - will Council support for the Arts be withdrawn? Will services for young people be curtailed? Will popular ventures such as Arts Alive be dumped? They won't tell us. What will happen to Parks and Open Spaces - will maintenance be reduced dramatically? Will there be significant staffing cuts? Will facilities be further cut back? They won't tell us.

The Conservatives have every reason to be ashamed of their budget proposals but it's time they stopped hiding behind a cloak of secrecy and told the community the full extent of their plans. People deserve better than being told that significant cuts will be made but those who make them don't know what effect they will have. Liberal Democrat Councillors challenge the Conservatives to come clean and tell the community just what they are planning.