Rivals join row over threat to local serv ices (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Rivals join row over threat to local serv ices

OPPOSITION political groups have waded into the row about the council's budget.

Paul Sample, who heads the Liberal Democrat group, said his party was meeting with council chief executive Richard Sheard to discuss the funding gap that could lead to the withdrawal of services and a host of new charges.

"Salisbury district council has a duty to provide facilities for all the villages, towns and communities it serves - not just those in Salisbury city," he said.

"Not a day goes by without our group receiving letters, phone calls and complaints from residents worried about cutbacks to their local services.

"We will do everything we can to protect these services and to help restore financial order to the council."

Labour group leader Steve Fear said: "This administration inherited a strong financial position but the truth of the matter is that they have overspent and then blamed the government for a number of years.

"What we need now is a clear vision of what kind of city Salisbury is going to be.

"If we really believe that we are a city of arts and culture, we should work out a way of funding that.

"But if we believe that, with the Olympics not far away, we are a sporting city, then we should work with sports organisations and other users, rather than threaten the closure of facilities."

But the leader of the Conservative group, Kevin Wren, downplayed the council's money problems and launched a scathing counterattack on his rivals.

"There is no crisis," he said.

"The administration is simply assessing the budgetary requirements for 2006/7 and the years beyond."

"Every year, and certainly for the past five years, we have been presented with challenges, and the coming year is no different.

"The conflicting views of our political opponents only emphasise their disarray.

"The LibDems say we have not spent enough, Labour says we have spent too much - and neither party has presented an alternative budget for the past five years.

"Ten years ago, the LibDem tax-and-spend administration was responsible for setting a district council tax that rocketed by 253 per cent in three years.

"The government's demands are local authorities' biggest single problem.

"The annual, inadequate central government grant gives back only a fraction of what the treasury squeezes from business rates - SDC collects £32m and receives only £6.5m.

"An underfunded Licensing Act is here, and there is the threat of having to fund concessionary fares from council tax.

"This Conservative administration is confident that it will meet the financial challenge and continue to provide quality, value-for-money services for all the district."