Councillors clashed over Kirklees’ cash crisis as a big rise in council tax was agreed tonight.
The biggest cuts in the history of Kirklees Council have been rubber-stamped alongside the largest tax rises in living memory.
At the annual budget meeting this evening, councillors voted through a four-year plan which will see tens of millions slashed from frontline services while simultaneously raising council tax by 4.99% a year for two years in a row.
The double-whammy for taxpayers comes after direct funding from the government was cut from £107m two years ago to just £17m in 2021.
The ruling Labour group has laid the blame firmly at the door of the Conservative government.
But local Tories have claimed Kirklees Labour has “buried their heads in the sand”, waiting too long to take hard decisions.
Presenting the budget, cabinet member for resources Clr Graham Turner said: “It’s clear that local government is having its biggest funding crisis in its history.”
Clr Peter McBride said the Tory plan to cripple northern metropolitan councils was “insane economic strategy”.
“The government has spread the pain unevenly,” he said.
“Metropolitan and northern city councils have had 40% cuts while Shire councils have hardly been touched.
“It’s discrimination against us because we are northern and urban.
“We’re now waiting to see which northern council goes bust first.”
Conservative leader Clr David Hall claimed there had been “inaction and incompetence in not managing the council’s finances properly”.
He said £10m of savings the Tories had suggested in the past five years had been ignored – including cuts to trade union subsidies, staff transport and allowances for goods inflation.
He said: “The Labour group over the last few years have buried their heads in the sand, and have chosen to delay taking decisions on spending.
“They have relied on the council’s reserves too often. They have spent more time whinging and complaining about the situation instead of rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in. The result of Labour’s inaction is a disaster for our borough.”
But leader of Kirklees Clr David Sheard hit back: “We have cut £129m and we’ve got to cut another £65m more by 2021.”
He joked: “We’ve done all that without any of the Conservatives noticing, that’s how good we are.”
Lib Dem leader Clr Nicola Turner said she was “amazed” the Tories weren’t supporting the budget.
“Listening to what Clr Hall is saying it sounds like it’s all his idea,” she said.
“This is the first time in 35 years the Lib Dems have not attempted to amend the budget.
“Never before have we stood so close to the edge of the cliff.”
The budget was passed by 37 votes for to 21 against. 10 abstained.
