KENT LABOUR CONDEMNS TORY COUNCIL TAX HIKE

Speaking in today's debate on the Kent County Council's council tax proposals for the coming year,

Mike Eddy, Labour Shadow Leader of Kent County Council, said:

“This proposal is a testimony to the Tory administration's waste and ineptitude."

The Tory budget for Kent County Council requires a 4.95% increase in Council Tax.

Mike Eddy also said:

"There is no need for council tax rises above 5% so the Tories in Kent, with all the business nous of Delboy and Rodney go for 4.95%. A no-brainer that one."

A full copy of Mike Eddy's speech is below:

Firstly I should like to thank the staff who have done a good job despite the lack of leadership and direction from the Tory administration. They have done this in the face of waste and junketing.

I am pleased at least that the Tory Leader of the Council doesn't claim credit for excellence.

It is difficult for any rational observer to understand the administration's constant whingeing.

The -5.3% decease that the Tories claim is based on fantasy figures which do not compare like for like. Actually it is a 2.7% increase on that part of the Government grant.

The Tory whingeing is like the spoilt teenager who gets £10 a week when his/her mates get an average £12. That is not a 20% cut.

More importantly the administration doesn't know how the budget is made up.

When the Tories claim -5.3% they are speaking of only 11% of the total budget and when a Tory says -5.3% they really mean 2.7% increase.

The majority of the budget is Dedicated Schools Grant which rose by 4.9%.

The Tories want 4.95% more of the hard pressed people from the hard pressed people of Kent. A no-brainer that one. Government explains that there is no need for rises above 5% so the Tories in Kent with all the business nous of Delboy and Rodney go for 4.95%.

They conveniently forget about specific grants from Government and charges and trading as part of this Council's income.

Across the board, KCC has had a 4.2% increase in funding.

Later today we will show how the Tories' attack on the council taxpayers' purse can be avoided and at the same time how services can be maintained and enhanced. That is because we have direction, we have purpose and we have the interests of the people of Kent in our hearts.

The budget before us is a testimony to the Tory administration's waste and ineptitude.

The Leader has claimed that it will be "£15 m and not a penny more for Turner" but £17.4 m is kin the budget. The increase is for inflation and fitting out. As if we had never thought of fitting out an art gallery. Add to that £2.5 m out of reserves for Turner 1.

Plus millions on 2 super depots

Plus another reorganisation of libraries and cutting community librarians.

Plus Cartervision, the Kent TV station.

Plus £8m on the woolly, meaningless 2010 targets and trips abroad

And the Leader of the Council has the gall to try to tell us this Council is excellent.