In my view - Lib Dems Put City First

9.00.00am GMT Tue 26th Feb 2008

Cllr Adrian Vinson, Leader of Southampton City Council Liberal Democrats

Since taking minority control of the Council the Conservatives' record has been alarming:

• ignoring the whole education community over who should run our new schools

• proposing to cut bus concessions for pensioners and disabled people

• telling key organisations such as Police and Health they didn't believe in partnership

• putting all open spaces at risk from illegal encampments

• paying £20,000 for a Cabinet Member who admitted he had no powers

• doing a U-turn to introduce new parking charges

• trying to abolish Neighbourhood Partnerships overnight

• receiving a vote of no confidence from school governors.

Their budget was the last straw, with swingeing cuts in many vital areas - play and family services, behaviour in schools, road and pavement repairs, bus services, neighbourhood wardens, leisure and arts, housing and environment policy…… This to find £1.2 millions for Council Tax discounts excluding many of the least well-off pensioners and special constables, to the cost of everyone else including low-income families or disabled people.

Only by voting with Labour could we stop the Tory cuts. Our joint budget safeguards essential services and introduces new initiatives to:

• deliver more neighbourhood clean-ups and blitzes on anti-social behaviour

• combat alcohol abuse

• enforce breaches of planning and promote conservation

• help the least well-off of all ages claim benefit entitlements

• tackle climate change

• expand the pioneering Junior Wardens scheme

• extend free swimming for children

• save the 101 crime and anti-social behaviour number.

Our 3.49% Council Tax is less than the increase in pensions and prices and well below Tory Hampshire.

Despite losing their budget, the Conservatives tried to cling to power. They also refused our invitation to join an all-party Cabinet.

The Liberal Democrats and Labour are working together in a joint Cabinet to deliver the stability and progress so many people have said Southampton needs. This is a local agreement between two parties who remain independent for all other purposes. Similar arrangements, often including Conservatives, exist in many places without a majority party. In Southampton the Liberal Democrats and Labour are putting the best interests of our city before narrow party concerns.