Lib Dems caught out attacking their own cuts

Published 9 Jun 2011 09:30 4 Comments

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THE Lib Dem opposition has been left red-faced after attacking Labour for scrapping student waste collections - because the decision was taken while they were still running the council.

Lib Dem councillors have even launched a petition against the removal of end of the academic year pick-ups when students move out of the Reading University area.They are accusing the new Labour administration of failing to consult the public over the changes.

But Reading Borough Council spokesman Oscar Mortali confirmed this week the decision was taken by its Streetcare officers in March when the Lib Dems were in joint control with the Tories.

He added: "The additional collections cost nearly £20,000 last year and the decision was taken by officers against a background of budget restrictions and their assessment that the issues in the area could have been dealt with through the usual scheduled collection dates."

Deputy Labour leader Tony Page, accusing the Lib Dems of "errant hypocrisy", said: "They should be ashamed of themselves in not having the courage to admit that they were party to the decision in the recent budget. They did not do their homework and this is just another example of their incompetence."

Environment councillor, Paul Gittings, said Labour will be looking into the situation.

Lib Dem leader, Cllr Daisy Benson, who launched the online petition, said on her blog on Monday it was Labour councillors who scrapped the collections.

But when The Chronicle informed Cllr Benson of Mr Mortali's statement, she maintained there is a difference between decisions taken by officers and the savings confirmed by councillors, and insisted it would have been overturned had her party still been power sharing.

She added: "This was never part of our savings plan and was not brought to our attention."

Former Lib Dem environment leader, Cllr Warren Swaine, said the cut was never part of any Coalition plans and demanded Mr Mortali withdraws the council statement.

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 09 Jun 11

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angel delight
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Jun 9, 17:13
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Is Cllr Swaine alleging malice on the part of the Council for telling the truth?

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Matthew S Dent
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Jun 10, 07:42
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Ah the opportunism of the Liberal Democrats revealed. Now that they're back in opposition, they think that they can just attack any and all policies they don't like, ignoring that so many of them were put into place by the Lib Dems themselves. It's classic Lib Dem tactics really, which is the saddest part of all.

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Calming Waters
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Jun 10, 11:17
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I know the Lib Dems must be feeling bruised by the Redlands ward election result, but they must be more careful and not take Daisy Benson's word for anything other than her trying to get a quick -and rather wild - swing at the winning Labour councillor.

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Randall Slick
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Jun 10, 16:01
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What a fair-minded and balanced article. Reading should be proud that such hard-hitting journalism exists. Nothing like giving Labour activists a prod for them to embark upon their usual idiotic comments.

Re: Matthew S Dent – “Ah the opportunism of the Liberal Democrats revealed. Now that they're back in opposition, they think that they can just attack any and all policies they don't like, ignoring that so many of them were put into place by the Lib Dems themselves. It's classic Lib Dem tactics really, which is the saddest part of all.”

So the cancellation of the end-of-term clean up was a policy put in place by the Lib Dems was it? Fascinating idea. Clearly you can read something into this article that some of us have missed. As Mr Mortali is quoted as saying : "The additional collections cost nearly £20,000 last year and the decision was taken by officers against a background of budget restrictions and their assessment that the issues in the area could have been dealt with through the usual scheduled collection dates."

Whether these officers did or did not pass on this plan to the coalition councilors/cabinet will I'm sure come out at a later date.

Still, all's well that ends well. Extra collections to be reinstated apparently, so maybe the petition actually did work: http://www.redlandslibdems.org.uk

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Jun 12, 22:16
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Jun 13, 20:01
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