Liberal Democrat Councillors have promised to continue to ask questions despite new Council rules designed to make it harder to do. In an echo of George Orwell's 1984 these changes have been described as "improvements" by Spelthorne's Tory majority.
A change in the procedures for scrutiny has been proposed which will have the effect of restricting scrutiny of key Council decisions. If the change is passed by the Council it will be impossible for LibDem Councillors to call a scrutiny committee meeting to review a decision.
A new Grounds Maintenance Contract has been agreed by Spelthorne Council which will save the Council money, but this means that 27 open spaces will not be maintained to the same standard as previously. LibDem Councillors have been deliberately prevented from having any input at every stage of the process and are very concerned about the impact of the change on public open spaces.
Spelthorne's budget for 2009/10 is under great pressure largely due to falling interest rates, but this is only part of the story. Many years of financial incompetence by the ruling Tory administration has led to a reliance on asset sales and high interest rate income - both of which have been hit by the economic recession.
Parliamentary spokesman, Mark Chapman, has welcomed plans launched by the Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable MP and Shadow Housing Minister Sarah Teather MP to boost affordable housing and avoid home repossession.
The Liberal Democrats have opposed Surrey County Council's budget as "fundamentally flawed". Surrey council tax payers will continue to receive poor services over the next year, after the ruling Conservative administration adopted a budget that cuts bus services, pot hole repairs, gritting and road gully cleaning.
