Cllr Glynane said “We have consistently argued that the Conservative Cabinet at County Hall is too big and public money is being wasted on allowances for Cabinet members who are unnecessary. In previous years we have appointed a smaller Shadow Cabinet than the Conservative Cabinet, but this year we are showing the way by further reducing our Shadow Cabinet to 6 members plus the Leader.”

“If Northamptonshire Conservatives really cared about cutting unnecessary costs, and not just slashing frontline services and jobs, then they would follow the Liberal Democrat lead and reduce their Cabinet accordingly.”

Cllr Brendan Glynane said “NEP is receiving £2m of taxpayers money yet does not meet in public, or publish spending over £500, as the Government’s “Transparency Agenda” demands. There have been some serious concerns raised about NEP’s performance and accountability. We know that economic regeneration and creating jobs are crucial in the current situation nationally. We also know that it is equally important that, with such a limited amount of public money available, every penny of Northamptonshire taxpayers cash is spent wisely and efficiently.”

“There are serious issues to investigate. For example, why does NEP meet in private? The public have a right to know what their taxes are being spent on, and how effective that money is. Do we really need to spend hundreds of thousands of local taxpayers cash on an office in Brussels? Is there duplication with the successful South East Midlands LEP, which has brought the Enterprise Zone to Northampton? The investigation must be independent and robust. It can not simply be a whitewash to protect Northamptonshire Conservatives pet project.”

Cllr Stanbra said “Over the last few years the biggest pressure in the Council’s budget has been the use of agency foster carers instead of in-house foster carers. This basic mistake is costing the tax-payer millions of pounds every year. Despite the Liberal Democrats raising this repeatedly, the Conservatives at County Hall are refusing to listen. Their complacency is astonishing. Year on year Northamptonshire taxpayers’ money is being wasted.”

“Even though agency foster placements have grown more quickly than in-house provision, the Conservatives are content to spend the minimum to “maintain the current interest”. It boggles the mind. Why are Northamptonshire Conservatives refusing to acknowledge the massive problem? This is financial incompetence writ large. The Conservatives must get a grip and stop wasting so much public money.”

“It’s really important that vulnerable children have a safe and secure home. I’ve been a foster carer myself. But the Conservatives are failing to manage the budget properly. In-house foster carers are just as able of providing a loving home. All the Council needs to do is commit to recruiting more foster carers directly rather than using expensive agency placements.”

The easiest way for Labour to have tested their public credentials would have been to have stood a candidate in the most recent By Elections in Towcester but they failed to do so. Again lots of rhetoric but no action.

The recent budget helped lift almost three and a half thousand of people across South Northants out of paying income tax by next May and cut tax bills for a further 280’000 people that really need it. These are people that Gordon Brown thought nothing of when he scrapped the old 10p tax rate for those on the lowest incomes, overnight doubling the tax on the least well off, then went on to plunder the pensions of millions of elderly people to the tune £175 Billion taken out of occupational pension schemes. Those people were expendable under the duplicitous Labour Government which was more interested in supporting the banks than supporting those that need the help most.

And even in opposition, unsurprisingly, the Labour spin machine continues to peddle half truths and misinformation.

Cllr Aaronson seems not to want to mention that in a key Westminster vote objecting to the 50p tax rate being scrapped only 2 Labour MP’s voted against it, So much for their keen opposition.

Under 13 years of Labour the highest rate of income tax never once exceeded 40%, whilst at the same time insulting pensioners with a 75p rise in the pension. Thats Labour fairness for you!

So when the shadow Labour ‘team’ (almost all of whom were running the country into the ground only 2 years ago!) complain its with a background of having sat on their hands for 13 years in Government worrying more about the next election result than doing the right thing for the country.

I don’t agree with every action of the coalition but nor did the Labour Party when they were a majority government. Grown up politics needs grown up opposition not childish myth peddling and mock anger to fit the Murdochesque soundbites.

Cllr Brendan Glynane said “Northampton Conservatives behaviour last night was disgraceful. Not only did they refuse to hold a public investigation into why the Borough Council had undermined Northampton’s voluntary sector, but they refused to even debate the issue. Local people have a right to know why the Conservative controlled Council sought to remove services from the voluntary sector, but the Conservatives clearly don’t want to answer for the actions of the Council.”

“It all begs the question – what have they got to hide? Who knew what, when? If they did not know about it how can local people have confidence that they are actually in control? If they did, then what on earth were they doing?”

Cllr Brendan Glynane said “Northampton Conservatives behaviour last night was disgraceful. Not only did they refuse to hold a public investigation into why the Borough Council had undermined Northampton’s voluntary sector, but they refused to even debate the issue. Local people have a right to know why the Conservative controlled Council sought to remove services from the voluntary sector, but the Conservatives clearly don’t want to answer for the actions of the Council.”

“It all begs the question – what have they got to hide? Who knew what, when? If they did not know about it how can local people have confidence that they are actually in control? If they did, then what on earth were they doing?”

Scott with one of the many speed cameras to be axed

The Liberal Democrat Official Opposition at Northamptonshire County Council have reacted with astonishment and anger after the Conservative Cabinet Member for Transport attempted to blame the police for switching off speed cameras in the County and claimed he would “not have encouraged” the move.

Leader of the Opposition, Cllr Brendan Glynane said “It was the Conservative decision not to fund the Casualty Reduction Partnership that was directly responsible for speed cameras being switched off across the county. They can’t pretend it was nothing to do with them and wash their hands of it now! The Conservatives hypocrisy is astonishing.”

“We warned the Conservatives last year that switching off cameras led to a massive increase in deaths and serious injuries in neighbouring Oxfordshire and that the decision to cut the speed camera money would be extremely risky and put lives at risk. Now we see the tragic results – an increase in lives lost last year to 28 and 14 deaths in the first three months alone this year.”

Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesman, Cllr Chris Lofts said “Last year the previous Conservative Cabinet Member told the local press “even if I did have a million pounds I wouldn’t spend it on safety cameras”. Now the new Conservative Cabinet Member says it was a mistake and they were wrong. He claims that he “would not have encouraged” the decision, yet he was part of a Conservative Cabinet that cut the money and he, personally, voted not to fund the speed cameras.”

“The Conservatives simply can not have it both ways. The truth is they didn’t fund cameras, they were warned about what had happened in Oxfordshire (where the Conservatives had to switch cameras back on after a 50% increase in deaths on the roads), and now they are trying to hoodwink the public and pretend it was nothing to do with them in the first place! The Conservatives should have listened to us last year. Now they should heed the lesson from their colleagues in Oxfordshire and switch the cameras back on.”

Scott Collins Parliamenatry Spokesman for South Northants Lib Dems said “These figures only echo what both the public and we as a party locally were saying would be the case once the full effect of the turn off the cameras could be analysed. The Conservative obsession with the ‘bottom line’ and axing anything they see as expendable has shown its true impact on our streets in these figures.

“Add to this the removal of Police Comunity Suport Officers and the turning off of half of all the street lights in the county its easy to see that the so called ‘party of law and order’ has now become the party of unsafe streets and roads.”

Article from Northants ET 10th April 2012 on speed cameras:

http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/local/we-were-wrong-to-turn-off-speed-cameras-1-3715097

February 12th 2011 article from the Northants ET quoting Cllr Heather Smith:

http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/local/deaths-fear-over-plan-to-turn-northamptonshire-s-speed-cameras-off-1-2407457

Cllr Jane Hollis, Chairman of South Northants Liberal Democrats

Cllr Hollis said “It is right that Cllr Bromwich has resigned. There was no way she could represent her constituents properly from 250 miles away – nobody could. It was wrong for Northamptonshire Conservatives to think she could in the first place.”

“South Northamptonshire Liberal Democrats will fight this by-election. The Liberal Democrats won 2 of the 3 district seats in Towcester Brook ward in May, and we will be fighting to win.”

“Local people deserve a strong voice, standing up for them against the Conservatives cuts to street lights, buses and lollipop ladies. Towcester Liberal Democrat Councillors have a strong record of local action, including leading the fight against the District Councils move of offices to the Moat Lane Development and fighting South Northants Tories decision to close toilets, whist funding refreshments for themselves instead.”

END

In Northamptonshire 3830 18-24 year olds are currently in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance and would stand to benefit from the Youth Contract.

Starting next April, the Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new work places for 18 to 24 year olds into work over the next three years. This includes 160,000 wage subsidies and 250,000 new work experience placements.

A new programme to will help 16 and 17 year olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs).

This will help the most disengaged of the 3830 in Northamptonshire get back to school or college, onto an apprenticeship or into a job with training.

In addition, there will be at least 20,000 more incentive payments to encourage employers to take on young apprentices in England.

Commenting, Scott Collins said:

“I feel that in spite of difficult times its the Liberal Democrats that are doing the right thing and making sure we help those who need it most.

“If young people are out of work, the consequences of that will be felt for decades afterwards. We need to ensure that the young people of today do not have a false start. We are still reeling from the lost generations that suffered under Labour gimmicks and previous Conservative failures.

“The Youth Contract will help those who need it most through advice, support, training and by giving people in Northamptonshire the experience necessary to be successful in the work place.

“While we’re clearing up the economic mess that Labour left behind, the Coalition Government is ensuring that our children do not bear the consequences of Labour’s mistakes.

“As a Liberal Democrat, I am proud that the Coalition Government is doing the right thing to prevent another lost generation.”

Commenting further, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:

“Youth unemployment is an economic waste and a slow-burn social disaster.

“We can’t lose the skills and talent of our young people – right when we need them most. We can’t afford to leave our young men and women on the scrap heap. We need the next generation to help us build a new economy.

“The aim of the Youth Contract is to get every unemployed young person working or learning again before long-term damage is done.

“This is a £1bn package and what’s different about it is that it gets young people into proper, lasting jobs in the private sector.”