LIB DEM SCHOOL TRANSPORT U-TURN

Lib Dems at Somerset County Council have been forced to go into reverse over plans to reduce payments to school transport operators.

This is the latest embarrassment for the beleaguered Lib Dems at County Hall, who had planned to cut payments to scores of local companies with no warning, raising the possibility of many local firms facing further struggles during the recession.

However, less than a fortnight later, the Lib Dems have been forced into an embarrassing u-turn.

Anthony Trollope-Bellew, Conservative Group spokesman on Highways, commented, "This has been totally mishandled by the Lib Dem administration. The operators were not given proper warning of the intended decrease due to procrastination by the Lib Dems. Then the decision was reversed a fortnight later. How can the operators be expected to run an efficient service if they are continually messed around by the indecisive Lib Dem administration?''

Ken Maddock, Leader of Somerset County Council's Conservative Group, concluded, "The Lib Dems seem to be lurching from one embarrassing crisis to another, and yet again prove that they do not live in the real world. It is perfectly proper and right that Somerset County Council should seek to reduce their costs, but this is not the way to go about it. Anyone whose livelihood is to be affected needs to be consulted, not told after the event that they will be losing money.''

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For more information: contact Councillor Ken Maddock, Leader of Somerset County Council's Conservative Group, 01458 850906, or Anthony Trollope-Bellew, Group spokesman on Highways, 01984 618254.

Ref: 17Apr09