Liberal Democrats will propose amendments to the Cabinet's Budget to ensure that it provides a better deal for local residents whilst staying within the Council Tax level proposed by the Mayor.
Well we have had some very interesting speeches on this budget tonight. And we also had a briefing on the background to the budget by Nick Tustian, the council's head of Financial Services last Tuesday.
Surrey County Council has increased its share of council tax for 2003-2004 by 17.9%. Cllr. Janet Maines, Lib Dem group leader said: "This Tory-run County Council has got to move away from crisis management, with its ever spiralling costs, by investing in preventative measures that are good value for money and that better meet the needs of Surrey residents".
With key local elections just weeks away, Lib Dem Leader Charles Kennedy has visited Shepway. His visit gives local Liberal Democrats a big boost in their bid to end Conservative rule in our area.
"I find it personally and politically very difficult indeed to support a war in which there is no mandate from the UN and no sense of legitimacy on the international stage."
Liberal Democrats on Bedford Borough Council have proposed key changes they want to see to the cabinet's budget to introduce some good news. They branded the proposed budget as a catalogue of bad news for local people. Lib Dems argue that it fails to address key issues including the release of council reserves, provision of a coordinated transport and parking strategy and introduces new stealth taxes.
