Liberal Democrats outrage as Labour Council hits the poorest in town rather than make efficiency savings

Chesterfield's Labour Town Hall bosses decided at a recent emergency Council meeting to hit some of Chesterfield's poorest residents with increased charges to their Council Tax.

One alternative, pointed out by the Liberal Democrats, would have been to extend the public private partnership which is already delivering large financial savings, job security and new jobs. This would have saved Chesterfield Borough Council a considerable amount and therefore even more Council Tax payers quite painlessly"

A letter by Liberal Democrat Cllr. Alexis Diouf highlighting Labour's hypocrisy was sent into the Derbyshire Times in October 2012. It was published on the 15^th November 2012 to which the Labour Party did not reply.

"Sir

You carried an excellent article recently concerning the successful partnership between Chesterfield Borough Council and Arvato managing the back office services.( DT 25.10.12). When this company won a national award for partnership work with other councils and companies, Cllr John Burrows, the leader of Chesterfield Borough Council, said in an article carried by the Derbyshire Times on the 18 November 2011: "Our partnership with Arvato is already benefiting our employees and citizens across Chesterfield, and we're delighted that this has been highlighted as best practice."

"We're looking forward to continuing to develop best practice together with Arvato, and our joint future success."

Perhaps the Chesterfield Borough Council Leader might now explain for your readers why he has blocked the Phase 2 of this agreement (planned by the previous Council administration) which has helped bring jobs to the town, improved services for Chesterfield's residents - and also saved Chesterfield Council Tax payers hundreds of thousands of pounds? "Yours sincerely"

Liberal Democrat Leader Ray Russell continued, "I cannot understand this preference for cuts that hit the poor rather than using an appropriate public private partnership, which has already shown that it can cut waste."

Cllr. Russell points out that Labour's Leader, Cllr. John Burrows, welcomed the news of a national award for Chesterfield Borough Council's partnership with Avarto shortly after he was elected Council Leader in 2011. He told the local media what a good deal the Avarto partnership, introduced by the previous Liberal Democrat Council was for Chesterfield. And now, just 12 months later due to outdated socialist dogma, he refuses to extend the partnership and save even more jobs and money.

He continued, " How can Labour prefer to cut Council jobs to pay for an effective increase in Council Tax and hit less affluent residents of the town instead? It is incomprehensible; unless it is simply a cynical and political move to blame the Coalition Government."

A Scrutiny Panel Working Group (whose report was not even seen by Full Council and whose recommendations were restricted before it went to Full Council) was specifically set up by the Labour Party last year to look at ways of resolving these savings demanded by the Government. One is tempted to ask the question, "Why set up a Scrutiny Group if you are not even going to listen to its findings?"

Cllr Denise Hawksworth, Chair of the Council's Scrutiny Panel adds:

• "Having led this robust review in good faith, I can only express my disgust at Labour bosses determination to play politics with the lives of the most vulnerable and lowest paid workers in our town. Labour had a choice - to find savings which would cause little or no harm to our residents or to impose savings on the welfare budget affecting our poorest residents.

• They chose to take much needed money away from those in most need at a crucial time so that they can blame this government.

The Coalition Government, in order to tackle the National Debt of £158bn it inherited from Labour in 2010, is trying to make savings across the board. One of these is to reduce the support it gives to all Councils, who in their turn support Council Tax bills for the least well off in their area. The money does NOT have to come from the grant supplied by Government for this purpose. An equal amount made by efficiencies is acceptable.