Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Norwich Tories 0% council tax rise bid

Norwich Conservatives will today launch our alternative budget ahead of Tuesday’s crunch council meeting. The budget will see more investment into key areas such as recycling but will trim the unitary spending of the council to deliver an overall freeze on council tax.

Taxpayers in Norwich have been hammered by Labour year after year. Once again we are looking again at inflation busting rises that will see senior citizens and low income families suffer.

That’s why, as Conservatives, we believe in keeping council tax low. Conservative run South Norfolk Council has led the way in setting a freeze on council tax and now we hope to do the same in Norwich.

Clearly much of the spending is good, but unitary stands alone as being Labour’s great white elephant in the City. We’re picking up the bill for Labour’s political vanity.

It is ridiculous that when services are in need of extra investment and people across Norwich are being told there is no money available, we are planning to spend £800,000 of taxpayers money on Unitary. This brings the bill for Unitary well into the millions for the people of Norwich.

Clearly the council needs to do some preparation work so we are suggesting a compromise – that £300,000 be taken out of the unitary budget and be used to cut tax for thousands of hard working people across the City.

However, we would go further than that – trimming another £250,000 off Labour’s unitary bill and putting that money directly into future community projects, making the lives of people around our City better.

The unitary debacle has gone on long enough and cost more than enough. It’s time people knew that at least one party is willing to put them, their families and their services first in all this. The Conservatives are willing to take tough decisions and say that tax is too high and must now come down.

Residents can also use the elections this May to send Labour and the LibDems a message – if you want to pay less tax, spend more on services and less on political bureaucracy you have to vote Conservative.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

think this may enough to make me vote tory this year.

I am a lib dem by nature but their behaviour on unitary status is neither liberal nor democratic.

so well done

Anonymous said...

Have to disagree. Unitary and Norwich identy has grown on me, so whilst I agree with many Conservative policies, anti unitary isn't one of them. Dead duck! Lets move on, even SN have a 4 authority preferred Unitary plan, so facing reality, even though Unitary spilt isn't what they prefer.

A council tax freeze would be nice but not at the expense of continued basis services. If efficiencies can be made in energy use, extra revenue from reduced parking ticket and council tax non payment/ avoidance; all good and well! The last year has been a disgrace for avoidance.

Anonymous said...

Most public aren't that interested about Unitary per say. Its going to happen. Efficiency of service and local City accountability. Personally I'm more concernned why council staff salaries account for over 39% of £23m budget, an overhead few businesses would carry, with less going on say more recycling, pot holes, sign posts and street cleaning. Solution, cut salary to 35% of £23m, with 5% more productivity targets.

Anonymous said...

I am sure Chloe Smith would disagree with the above comments. Unitary resonates well beyond the city walls and into the broadland suburbs of Norwich North. Tories need to think bigger than the city council elections do they not?