LIBERALS AT COUNTY HALL RENEGE ON COMMITMENT TO SAVE COUNCIL TAXPAYERS MONEY - PROCUREMENT SHAMBLES (14/10/04)

At the County Council meeting on Wednesday it became clear that the controlling Liberal Democrats at County Hall have no intention of investigating all ways to save hard pressed council taxpayers some money.

In November 2002, the Procurement Commission - instigated by Conservatives - agreed that savings of £5M a year was possible on the county's spending of some £200M a year on goods and services. After 2 years the real saving is a measly £2.5M despite the Portfolio Holder claiming £9M had been saved.

The debate on Procurement Strategy was foreclosed by the Liberal Democrats forcing through a vote stifling further discussion, as it was becoming clear that neither the Portfolio Holder nor the Leader, nor indeed any other members of the Lib Dem administration, knew what they were talking about.

Under questioning from Conservative County Councillor Bob Little, the Shadow Finance Portfolio Holder, the Liberal Democrats denied that the savings target set by the County Council in November 2002 following the Commission on Procurement and Purchasing was £5m per year. The Lib Dems claimed it was £5m in total; even two of their Commission members, who admitted that they were infrequent attendees at the Commission's deliberations and that, further, did not really understand it all anyway, still insisted on supporting the party line.

Bob Little said,' there is a huge difference between a fixed saving of £5m and £5m every year. It is extremely disappointing that, having spent a year identifying opportunities to save money, the Lib Dems have made such a pathetic attempt to implement the Commission's recommendations. The debate this morning just confirmed that the Lib Dems have neither the drive nor understanding to deliver real savings for the County Council and the council tax payers. Other county councils, such as Suffolk and Kent, have already achieved massive savings.'

Christopher Wolverson, the Leader of the Conservative Group, commented,' this is a disgrace. Failure to achieve potential savings, failure to know what they had agreed only 2 years ago, and failure to be able to sustain a grown up debate illustrates only too well that the Lib Dems cannot be allowed to continue to run the County Council. We - the council tax payers - cannot afford their incompetence any longer.'

ENDS