CONSERVATIVES have pledged to save monthly glass collections.

Kirklees Council’s opposition Tory group last night unveiled its budget plan for next year.

The Conservatives want to freeze council tax in 2012/13.

And the Tories also oppose several spending cuts proposed by Kirklees officers last week.

Council officials have drawn up a plan to reduce the budget by £15.7m next year.

But the Conservatives yesterday said they oppose some parts of the proposal – including the abolition of monthly glass collections, which would save £234,000 a year.

The Tories are also against the officers’ plan to close Red House Museum in Gomersal to save £116,000.

Deputy Conservative leader Clr David Hall (inset) said: “Amongst the initiatives we have put forward are proposals to save Red House Museum which the council wanted to close, and we have developed a plan to retain glass collections in the borough, which again the council wanted to stop.

“In addition we have strongly voiced our opposition to the closure of any libraries and children’s centres, and stated that we are against charging for the collection of bulky waste.”

Clr Hall added that Government policy made it possible for Kirklees to freeze council tax.

“We have stipulated from the start that we expect the council to accept the Conservative Government’s offer of a council tax freeze,” he said. To set a budget higher than this level would be a betrayal of all residents who are suffering from high household bills.

“We are also committed to keeping future council tax increases at a low level and are resolute that to ensure efficiency the council must commit to value for money testing for all council services.”

All 69 members of Kirklees Council will meet on February 22 to decide the budget for 2012/13.

Clr Hall said: “As the only real opposition to the Labour administration we will oppose decisions which we believe are wrong.

“Where we believe the administration is making the right proposals, and our initiatives are being implemented, we will work with the Labour administration in the interest of good governance and for the benefit of our residents.

“Whilst we recognise the difficulties faced by local councils who don’t have the financial resources which they would desire, we will not tolerate the partisan destruction of council services to certain communities.

“As Conservatives we remain committed to a common standard of universal access to services for all members of all communities and we will have no truck with postcode rationing of services which other Labour councils have and are introducing.

“We look forward to fair and acceptable budget proposals being put forward.”