Reply to Letters Page (Somerset Liberal Democrat Group)

Somerset Liberal Democrat Group <info@somersetlibdems.org.uk>

Reply to Letters Page

January 21, 2008 3:01 PM
By Gloria Cawood - County Councillor for Mendip Central & East in Publication Somerset Standard

Dear Sir,

County Council elections will take place in May 2009. It appears the Tories are starting a campaign to rubbish the Liberal Democrats already.

One of their Councillors asks 'what was the cost of the plan for a unitary council?' I would rather ask what the cost of not going unitary will be. Already we see the Districts bemoaning their low settlement - but they have benefited from good settlements year on year. Now they must work with the County as if there is a Unitary. Not going Unitary means paying for 5 more Chief Executives than we need - and numerous senior officers on high salaries at both County and District level.

Besides, if the Districts had not wasted around £300,000 of council tax payers' money last year fighting the Unitary battle, they would be in a better position. This and other financial ineptitudes has led to Mendip dipping into its reserves because of overspends of approaching £500,000 this year alone. With this sort of poor financial management, it is no wonder they are in dire financial straits.

Somerset County Council is officially an Excellent Council - the highest accolade an English council can achieve, from inspectors. The Tories managed to drag Mendip down to a Weak authority after only one year of taking control -and there they remain 5 years on. They have rejected calls from Mendip Lib Dems to be reassessed, despite Tory spin that they are doing better. What are they afraid of if they are improving as much as they say?

The Government warned councils that no change was not an option and even if Unitary status was not given, they would be expected to work together as if they were unitary. So, let's stop the whinging and get on with the job of improving services to people in Somerset together.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs Gloria Cawood

County Councillors for Mendip Central and East