Labour Facing Up To Responsibility - Owen Lister

 Councillor Barrie Thompson tells us that the Labour Party faces up to its responsibilities (Evening Advertiser 27th.March), but facts would suggest otherwise. When faced with an appalling OFSTED Report for which they were justifiably blamed, having been the Party in power ever since Swindon became a Unitary Authority and took responsibility for Education, what did they do? They resigned, and left it up to a minority Conservative administration to clear up the mess.

In 2001 a Conservative backed Lib/Dem budget paid off a substantial part of the Council’s debt to the Wiltshire Pension Fund, and by doing so markedly reduced (by some £2.5m) the drain on the Council’s revenue resources caused by having to make up the annual deficit in respect of the Pension Fund’s obligations.

 This year faced with yet another grossly inadequate Revenue Support Grant from central Government, the Conservative Administration suggested a 12.5% increase in the Council Tax. We were well aware that asking for more money would have eased the task of deciding on spending priorities, but sought to balance those requirements against what we thought ratepayers could afford. Another 2.5%, courtesy of the Labour Party, undoubtedly eases those spending decisions, but it also increases the burden on the ratepayer!

 Despite this show of political muscle over the budget proposals and mindful, perhaps, of the impending less than favourable Government report on the Social Services department and the financial problems that may flow from it, the Labour Party have been in no rush to take over the Council’s administration, despite their majority situation. Scarcely an example of facing up to responsibilities!