Richard Struck

The Liberal Democrat administration has set a zero increase in the Three Rivers portion of the council tax for 2008/9.

There will be no cuts in services to pay for the freeze. Increased investment in services is planned. The successful free access to swimming for school children in the holidays will be extended to fitness facilities. There will be a trial of special fitness equipment for older residents.

Environmental protection and sustainability remain priorities. There is more funding for the popular small traffic calming schemes and for much needed renovation of council owned garages and paths. Following the transfer of the council’s housing, resources have been allocated to ensure Thrive Homes keeps the promises made to tenants. Refuse and recycling collection will be improved by a new system to reduce missed collections. An improvement in the Out of Hours service is planned.

Sound financial management and significant efficiency savings already achieved, together with more savings planned, means we can increase investment in services, while retaining prudent balances and holding down tax levels.

The Three Rivers Council tax is only part of the bill residents pay. The Conservative run County Council, which takes 80p in every £1, is increasing its charge by 4.5%.

The Three Rivers Conservatives proposed a 20% reduction, but this is a political gimmick. Residents have made it very clear that they do not want services reduced – quite the opposite. Wild fluctuations undermine sound financial management and lead to huge increases, slashed services, and uncertainty later to make up. No party with actual responsibility for running the Council could make such a reckless proposition.