Lib Dem Leader's Statement on Surrey County Council's budget 2004/5

Councillor Janet Maines, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Surrey County Council, commenting on the County Council budget said, "I welcome the single figure increase in the Council tax for Surrey residents, which is good news for people on fixed incomes including pensioners. But I have opposed the budget because the Conservative administration at County Hall has not gone far enough to reduce bureaucracy and inefficiency within the Council. The base budget has not been examined in detail as was agreed by the Council one year ago. A number of multi-million pound contracts are not being adequately controlled by the Council. Although the Council is now making a welcome start to introduce cost-saving preventative measures such as key worker housing and energy efficiency promoted by the Liberal Democrats, it has been slow to do so."

She added, "Since the last County Council elections, the Conservative administration has increased Council tax by 34%, yet cut vital bus services and failed to implement energy efficiency proposed by the Liberal Democrats. I would like the Council to examine the base budget in detail, improve its management of major contracts, reduce bureaucracy and inefficiency which would enable it to protect and improve services to Surrey residents."