Budget row as Central Beds Council accused of 'playing political games with public money'

Party politics played out as a group of Independent councillors tabled an amendment to Central Bedfordshire Council’s 2023/24 revenue budget.

This alternative budget was labelled “thick on rhetoric, thick on theatrics and thin on substance” by former Conservative council leader and chairman of the Local Government Association James Jamieson.

Independent Potton councillor Adam Zerny begged to differ, suggesting: “This is what prudent looks like.”

Branding the Tory ruling group’s calculations reckless, councillor Zerny accused the administration of playing political games with public money.

“Band E and Band F represents 27,000 households locally,” he said. “These aren’t the super rich. Those in Band F will pay after precept more than £3,000 a year for council tax in a cost of living crisis.

“How’s that zero increase been funded? We had the sixth most houses of any local authority in the country last year.

“Have we sacrificed our green fields to achieve a desperate dash for growth to bring in more council tax? Is all of this prudent or is it reckless?” he asked.

“During the next four years, your plans will see the council’s debt increase from £400m to £856m. That’s £3,000 for every man, woman and child in Central Bedfordshire.

“You’ll be removing £1.6m net from reserves in the year to come and £19m over the next four years, halving this council’s reserves.”

Across the council chamber, Conservative Arlesey councillor David Shelvey explained: “We’re proposing no increase in Central Bedfordshire’s share of council tax in 2023/24, no cuts in services and spending increases of £5m in children’s services and more than £1m in leisure.

“We propose to spend £475m gross and £252m net providing services to our residents. This represents a £12m increase in our net budget for this year and reflects pressures of £21m. Inflationary pressures total more than £16.5m.

“Careful management of the finances has achieved a balanced budget without the need to raise council tax next year.

“The final Covid grant will be used by end of this year. But parking and leisure income isn’t back to pre-pandemic levels.

“In adult social care, health and housing spending is up £5m to almost £100m. Children’s has risen more than £7m to £59m.

“We’ll be spending £52m on place and communities, including £6m on highways and £23m on waste,” added the executive member for corporate resources councillor Shelvey. “A further £15m of capital spend on various highways schemes makes it £21m.

“An additional £1.8m has been spent over two years on children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), plus an extra £280,000 next year showing our continuing commitment in this area.

“Demand for services is increasing from our rapidly rising population. We plan £9.5m of efficiencies next year, although that’s harder for officers to deliver.”

Liberal Democrat Linslade councillor Peter Snelling asked: “Are there deficiencies in this proposal? Undoubtedly so.

“We’ll take take those to the electorate in other and more effective ways than a defeated motion here. We’ll see in due course if the risks were worth taking.”

The amendment was lost, along with an alternative one before councillors approved the Conservative’s 2023/24 budget.