Central Beds
The taxpayers’ watchdog for Central Bedfordshire Council has slammed his Conservative colleagues for mis-spending public funds.
LB NEWS has seen a secret document in which the council’s Audit Committee chairman, Councillor David Lawrence:
* BLASTED fellow party members for raising council tax by nearly three per cent – among the highest in the country
*CRITICISED councillors for freezing their allowances – against the recommendation of an independent panel to reduce them by a total of £33,000
*RAISED ‘concerns across the council agenda’
*FIRED a warning to the council over its plans to restructure its senior management team.
In the leaked memo Cllr Lawrence said: ‘The failure to implement the Independent Remuneration Panel’s recommendations was amazing in the light of the big cuts in services and the large increase in council tax being proposed at the same meeting.’
Cllr Lawrence added that he had ‘concerns across the council agenda’ and that Central Bedfordshire ‘has caught this sickness of a presidential-style of government from No 10’.
He later told LB NEWS: “We’re going through restructuring and cutting back staff and we’ve got to be able to make sure we’re in a strong position at the end of it.
“We’re making a 20 per cent cutback in senior staff and I’m just trying to make sure it’s the right 20 per cent.
“With the state of the economy at the moment, business logic is vital. It’s my job to monitor such situations.” The council first announced it was reducing its senior manager headcount in December 2009.
One of the council’s five directors – Clive Heathy, of corporate services – left on February 28. His former role will be merged with the corresponding post for business transformation.
Up to four assistant directors at the council will also lose their jobs.
Liberal Democrat group leader Peter Blaine said: “It’s an absolute mess. The biggest concern is that the chair of the Audit Committee clearly has substantial concerns about the way financial matters are being handled at the council.
“Taxpayers are paying one of the biggest council tax increases in the country and yet getting substantial reductions in services, and they are seeing their money spent on allowances for senior Tories that the independent panel has said are too high.”
Central Beds Council deputy leader Richard Stay said: “The Conservative administration has listened to Cllr Lawrence’s concerns and has explored the issues brought to the group.
“We’re very aware of the economic situation in Central Bedfordshire and one of our key priorities is attracting inward investment and job creation.
“I think the level of allowance agreed by the council is fair and equitable in the context of the hugely increased workloads we’re asking members to do, which is why we’ve frozen it throughout.
“Central Beds gets 25 per cent of its budget from the Government. Tyneside gets 92 per cent of its budget from the Government.
“We’re much more reliant on the taxpayers of Bedfordshire to pay for education, social services, highways – all of which are critical services.”