Warwickshire County Council have today set their annual budget deciding where £469 million of tax payer's money will be spent from April 2021 - March 2022.
Greens put forward an alternative budget
The Green group put forward a strong alternative budget focusing on COVID recovery, young people and Climate Change and Transport Transformation.
Warwickshire County Council Green Group leader Jonathan Chilvers said:
“This budget is held in the shadow of almost 1000 Warwickshire residents dying from COVID in the last year and impacted on so many peoples jobs, mental health and way of working. I think all the party’s budgets focused on trying to support the recovery in Warwickshire, although once again the Conservative central government is forcing Councils to both put up Council Tax and make cuts to residents’ services.
Our Green budget focused on two key additional areas. Firstly, providing consistency of investment in uncertain times in much needed areas like services for young people and addictions and secondly, picking up the pace on climate change and transport transformation. "
Cuts to Domestic Abuse service?
In an unusual move the Conservatives also submitted an amendment to their own proposal to increase the funds going to Domestic Abuse service following the issue being raised by the Green group:
“I’m pleased that following representations I’ve made over the last week the Conservatives agreed to remove cuts to Domestic Abuse service they were going to make. They shouldn’t have been there in the first place of course, but credit to them for doing the right thing now.”
Green Proposals
We also made proposals in other areas which although weren’t accepted today we will continue to push for in future:
- Investment to ‘slow the flow’ of floodwater. If water comes through farmland and rivers slower it can protect properties and whole areas being flooded.
- Money to setup charities to run collections and repairs of unwanted large household items to reduce flytipping and waste
- Counselling for carers, especially those in care homes some of whom have witnessed traumatic and difficult deaths during the pandemic. We must look after those who have served tirelessly on the front line.
- Investment in accommodation support for care leavers to help them sustain their tenancies.
About Warwickshire Property and Development company
The Green group also called for a year’s delay and revised business plan for the proposed Warwickshire Property and Development company. The Conservatives plan to use the company to invest £120 million of tax payer’s money in the next 5 years to amongst other things build houses on land owned by the Council.
Cllr Jonathan Chilvers said:
“This could be a good plan if it means we get better results in Warwickshire in a financially responsible way. But at the moment the Conservatives are not making any commitments that there will be any more affordable housing or low carbon, cheap to run homes. There’s no point in setting up a new property company for Warwickshire if it’s going to be just as mercenary as the existing ones! The Council’s own documents also say that the risk is higher for other investments – we need to take the time to get this right.”
