Last nights 2010/11 budget setting meeting of Bury Council saw the Conservative administration increase Council Tax in Bury by an inflation busting 3.75%.

The Conservatives had previously voted down opposition amendments including Lib Dem budget proposals for a greener, safer Bury. 

Controversially, it was revealed that Bury Conservatives had hidden amongst the budget reports savings of £750,000 which included £100,000 of cuts to the Civic Halls budget and £100,000 of cuts to the Council’s Community Safety Team.

We lambasted the Tories for these proposals as they are currently subject to ”task and finish” groups that are yet to report and in the case of the Civic Halls a public consultation is still ongoing.

I told the leader of the Council that this drives a coach and horses through any pretence that the current public consultation is genuine. The Executive have clearly already decided and will no doubt have told the Task and Finish Group what to put in their report, they may have even written it for them, It’s a disgrace.

Last night we saw Bury Conservatives take over where David Cameron left the airbrush. We were presented with an airbrushed budget, hiding all the unpleasant, nasty cuts, the warts and blemishes on the face of this Conservative administration.

What they didn’t hide they masked as efficiency savings and improvements, but it couldn’t hide the fact that there were yet more cuts to local services and a higher price to pay. 

The Liberal Democrats proposed a Council Tax rise of less than 3% for all of Bury. Both the Conservatives and Labour proposed higher levels. The agreed rise in Bury is amongst the highest in Greater Manchester.

Lib Dems also proposed measures which would have improved local roads, put more police on local streets, and made Bury a greener place.

My colleague Cllr Richard Baum presented the Lib Dem budget proposals. You can read his speech to Council here .Lib Dem budget proposals included:

• DOUBLING the amount of money for local road repairs
• SCRAPPING the controversial Fairfax Road parking charges set to be introduced by the Conservatives
• Giving every part of Bury EXTRA POLICE
• REVERSING Conservative cuts to parks, playgrounds and the countryside service 

 All these proposals were dismissed by the Conservatives and supported by Labour. Previously we had supported Labours reasonable budget amendment.

Our plans were for a green Bury. We wanted to change the way the Council uses energy to reduce its carbon footprint, but this was rejected by the Conservatives.

We wanted to have a lower Council Tax rise but this too was rejected by the Conservatives. 

And we wanted to see more police but this was rejected by the Conservatives as well.

There was also more bad news for Prestwich after the Conservatives forced through plans to introduce car parking charges on Fairfax Road.Despite massive local opposition, and no consultation. Another mistake which will damage Prestwich.

So next year your Council Tax bands will be as follows:

Band A = £971.15, Band B = £1133.01, Band C = £1294.87, Band D = £1456.73, Band E = £1780.44, Band F = £2104.17, Band G = £2427.88, Band H = £2913.46

(unless you are aged 65 or over on 1/4/10)