A Time to Work Together to Get the Best for Our Borough

As was widely-reported earlier this month, Bedford Borough Conservatives sadly broke their pledge to cast aside party politics and deliver a joint budget for the benefit of local residents, and instead didn't even vote on the most important decision the Council takes. This was extremely disappointing as, as I've said many times before, the extraordinarily tough times we are in require everyone to work together to get the best for our borough. My monthly column in last week's Times and Citizen newspaper was on the subject of the difficult financial climate and the need to stand up to the challenges we face, and if you haven't seen it yet, the article follows below:

Against the backdrop of the most difficult financial situation ever for local authorities, the Council's budget for the year ahead has now been set. Since becoming Mayor, I have been committed to ensuring Bedford Borough avoids the widely-reported fate of areas around the country which have seen libraries and children's centres closed and rural bus routes disappear. With the former County Council having punished local taxpayers with year after year of spiralling Council tax bills, keeping bills down for hard-pressed local households has also been a clear priority alongside protecting services. Meanwhile, we are also tackling the vast debt burden left by the County Council.

The scale of the task we face is unprecedented, with a requirement for £36 million of savings in the next four years. In light of this, I brought all groups on the Council around the table at the start of the year to try to ensure everyone pulls together on behalf of local residents.

Even though the Conservatives had previously broken a promise to work together after I was first elected, I again invited them to put party politics aside and deliver a joint budget. They said they would do so, and were involved in the process at every step of the way throughout the year. However, without warning, they simply abstained when it came to the final vote, not even taking part in the most important decision the Council has to make. At a moment which demanded leadership, they froze. This is in spite of the fact that the budget delivers the vast savings required while freezing council tax and protecting key services . It also deals with the dreadful debt burden left by the Conservatives themselves on the County Council. It is extremely sad they can't put party politics aside for the benefit of our communities, especially as there are Conservatives elsewhere around the country facing up to the financial challenges . I am not angry, just disappointed. I want to involve all parties, but the Conservatives instead have decided to opt out.

There is no escaping the fact that difficult decisions have to be made, and residents will rightly expect their elected representatives to stand up to them as we seek to deliver the best for Bedford Borough.