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Digging their own black hole
I READ with interest last week's letter from Robin Baldry and Pam Reddy which referred to a "black hole in the County coffers".
In February this year, the Conservative group at Matlock proposed a Council Tax increase of 1.9% – 1% lower than that recommended by the County Treasurer – to be funded by 2.7m from the Council reserves.
One of Councillor Baldry's Conservative colleagues said that "they made the proposal being fully aware of the healthy position of this Council's reserves". Strange words from someone staring into a black hole!
As the dust settles after the County Council Elections it is becoming clear that the Conservative group now in control is very thin on experience and knowledge of how an organisation as large as Derbyshire County Council operates. 23 of their 33 members are brand new County Councillors and four of these are now Cabinet Members in charge of significant service areas such as Social Services and Education.
We all know there are difficult times coming and public services budgets will be under pressure. The Labour Group had anticipated this and built up the Council's reserves over the past few years so that on 5th June when the Tories took over there was 26m in reserves. This is an extremely healthy state of affairs to have inherited, yet within a fortnight of the election, Councillors Baldry and Reddy are spreading a myth about a "black hole". Could it be that they are softening us up to believe that cuts and charges are inevitable? When they bring in new charges for services that are currently free – like the home help service – or cut services and sack staff will they blame the previous Labour Council?
I think we can see the answers to that.
A final comment – whilst thanking their party workers for helping to get them elected, there was no word of thanks from Councillors Baldry and Reddy to the people who had bothered to go out and vote for them. Says it all, doesn't it.
Councillor Anne Western
Leader of the Labour Group
Derbyshire County Council
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Weather for Buxton
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
