"It's time to come clean," urges Leeds' Lib Dem leader (Leeds Liberal Democrats)

Leeds Liberal Democrats <info@leedslibdems.org.uk>

"It's time to come clean," urges Leeds' Lib Dem leader

August 26, 2010 12:00 AM

The Council's new leadership team must "come clean with the public" about where the axe will fall as it seeks to make urgent savings, according to Cllr Stewart Golton.

The leader of the Lib Dem group found his calls for "long overdue" information about planned savings partially answered this month, as the new administration proposed a series of grant reductions.

However, with the majority of information contained in a confidential appendix Cllr Golton has condemned Council leaders for preventing "full and frank" public scrutiny. He has contrasted this approach with the transparency of Councils like Sheffield.

Having examined the proposals Cllr Golton is also deeply critical of plans to make nearly £5m of cuts in Children's Services - particularly as, despite making positive progress, the department still has a long way to go to reach improvement targets. Cllr Golton fears the drastic grant reductions could undermine the priorities set out in the recent Children's and Young People's Plan.

Cllr Golton is pressing the current administration to think "more strategically" about where it makes necessary savings - and has reiterated his belief that grants to voluntary groups delivering services for young people are not the place to start.

Cllr Stewart Golton (Leader, Liberal Democrat Group) said:

"This Council has to make savings - that is a fact. However, what the current administration is failing to admit is that it does have a choice about where it makes those savings.

"Voluntary groups are particularly active within youth services - and that makes them key to the future success of the department. By choosing to cut grants to these groups, rather than making alternative savings, this Council is risking the future of voluntary partners and the important services they provide.

"Fundamentally this is a question of priorities. This Council does not have to cut grants to voluntary organisations who support vulnerable children - it is their decision to do that and I believe they are wrong."