Hampshire Lib Dems call for Zero Council Tax increase

4.19.00pm GMT Fri 20th Feb 2009

Liberal Democrats on Hampshire County Council will call for a Zero Council Tax increase at the County budget meeting on Thursday.

They will propose an alternative budget for Hampshire which will also improve services by giving people the benefit of the money they've been overcharged in past years and by cutting £2.0 million from the £4.5 million county budget for publicity and "spin".

The Liberal Democrat budget will give a £5 million boost to road, footway and verge maintenance throughout Hampshire to clear the backlog of potholes following 12 years of Conservative control. It will also prevent any more cuts in valuable bus services, put more new books of the shelves of Hampshire libraries and help families and small businesses during these difficult economic times. Other measures which will be revealed at the meeting.

The alternative budget will be moved by Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Adrian Collett, who said: "The Conservatives have stashed away £180 million in reserves and balances after overcharging people with inflation-busting council tax increases for the past three years. They

plan to use £18.2m of this money to have a less high increase in election year, but that still leaves an obscene amount of tax-payers' money sitting idle in the bank.

"The Liberal Democrat budget will allow Hampshire residents to have a council tax increase holiday this year. People need relief in these harsh economic times. It will also help local businesses by committing Hampshire to pay all bills within 10 working days."