Honourable Member For Newbury And Liberal Democrats In Local Government

EDM number 474 in 1995-96, proposed by David Nicholson on 21/02/1996.

That this House regrets, without surprise, to note that Liberal Democrat-controlled Taunton Deane, despite being awarded an increased grant of ú1.3 million some two years ago, far more than any other district in Somerset or Devon then obtained and not significantly reduced since, is now proposing to raise its band D council precept from ú25 to ú64.50, an increase of 158 per cent.; regrets, again without surprise, to note that when Conservative honourable Members raised this and other enormities in Liberal Democrat-controlled councils on 12th February the honourable Member for Newbury responded that these points 'degraded the debate', that he 'would not even honour the honourable Gentleman with an answer in this respect', that such criticisms were 'futile', 'foolish' and were 'cheap party political points'; notes that Liberal Democrat-controlled councils on average charge 27 per cent. more in council tax than Conservative-controlled councils, that Dorset Liberal Democrats have spent ú100,000 in setting up a council office in Brussels, Richmond Liberal Democrats run 80 council committees and sub-committees and that Waverley Liberal Democrats ignored the views of 74 per cent. of electors responding to their own consultation exercise who wanted a standstill or reduced budget and proposed a 7 per cent. increase in council tax; and welcomes the admission in the Liberal Democrat publication 'Towards 1996' that some of their councillors were 'politically inexperienced and potentially a liability'.

This motion has been signed by a total of 8 MPs.