Liverpool Lib Dems call for Keir’s Cronies to demand more for Liverpool

• Lib Dems have used the budget meeting to demand a fair settlement for Liverpool.
• Labour’s Starmer Cheerleaders accused of being asleep at the wheel over council finances.
• Cllr Carl Cashman said “After years of complaining of under-funding, now is the time for Labour to put their money where their mouth is.”

The Liberal Democrats condemned Labour’s budget as grim reading - pointing out the £20 million overspend carried over from last year and £10 million in unallocated cuts heading straight for council services.

The Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Carl Cashman, moved a motion to halt the council meeting until Monday to allow time for the Leader of the Council, Leader of the Opposition, Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer to meet the Deputy Prime Minister to demand a minimum extra £20 million to the recovery grant for this year.

He argued that it was ridiculous that Labour were carrying over £20 million in overspend from the previous financial year and that the revenue raised by increasing council tax by the legal maximum would not even clear that overspend.

‘Labour are raising resident’s Council Tax to essentially throw it into their overspend black hole. The people that I speak to are outraged that they’re paying more in Council Tax but are getting worse services.’

Labour’s overspend occurred due departments running over budgets, over optimistic estimates on savings on Labour cuts and around £100 million in wasted taxpayers money in the past three years.

They intend to force through £10 million of unallocated cuts on top of the £85 million in cuts they’ve inflicted in the last 3 years.

Lib Dem Councillors consider this “more cuts budget” for Liverpool, saying that the voters expect better after repeated promises of what a Labour Council with a Labour Government can do. Its clear that Labour aren’t prepared to put their money where their mouth is.

The Liberal Democrats argued that a £20 million restoration grant would wipe the slate clean and give the council a clean balance sheet for the next financial year.

The Labour Group voted against the motion to adjourn Leading Cllr Cashman to call them ‘Keir’s Cronies.’

Leader of Liverpool Liberal Democrats, Cllr Carl Cashman said:

“The settlement we’ve got from the Government is Labour accepting second best for our city once again - that’s not good enough, we need a council that will put Liverpool first.

“For years now Labour have harped on asking the government for more money - now we’ve got a Labour Government you’d think that they’d be supportive of giving a Labour run council the money it needs to start afresh.

“Keir Starmer promised to freeze council tax but this year Labour are increasing it by the legal maximum in the Town Hall, whilst the Metro Mayor is hiking his up by 26% - that’s a huge extra burden on the finances of taxpayers."

Lib Dem Shadow Cabinet finance spokesperson, Cllr Andrew Makinson said:

“Labour have set this council up for failure again this year - if we end up in an overspend again next year the cabinet member for finance clearly needs to resign as she’s not delivering a balanced budget.

“Labour are starting this new financial year £20 million in the red - Liverpool taxpayers are left footing the bill to pay off last year’s overspend. They do this every year - it keeps mounting and mounting.

“We need a clean break, a fresh start, and to put Liverpool first. The only way to do that is with an improved restoration grant.”