Gibbons attack! Further bad news for local government

3.28.27pm GMT Wed 23rd Jan 2008

Jenny Randerson believes the Labour/Plaid Government is not being fair

Welsh Liberal Democrat Finance and Local Government Spokesperson Jenny Randerson AM has reacted angrily to a written statement from Local Government Minister Brian Gibbons ahead of a vote on the controversial Local Government Settlement.

In it, he strongly hints that he will cap Council Tax rises at 5% while confirming his plans for a miserly, below inflation budget increase for local authorities.

Jenny Randerson said: "The Minister is playing this in a very unfair way. On one hand, he is giving Local Government the worst budget settlement since devolution while he is also limiting what they can raise through other avenues. No-one wants to see huge Council Tax rises, but it is for local authorities to debate whether they want to deal with the poor settlement through putting up Council tax or by cutting services. Brian Gibbons has just signalled he wants services cut.

"I am becoming deeply worried about this government and its ability to behave with any iota of fairness. On a day when news broke about many councils in England and Wales raising more money through charges for services than through council tax, the Government is forcing more and more councils to raise money through regressive and hidden stealth charges instead of giving them a fair funding deal.

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