Tory Council in debt fiasco

9.26.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 10th Oct 2008

COUNTY COUNCIL DEBT has increased by more than 15% in just two years since the Conservatives took control of Shire Hall

In response to a Liberal Democrat question, shame-faced Tories were forced to admit that the debt has increased from £1,250 to £1,444 for every family in the county in the two years between 2005/6 and 2007/8. This is the direct result of the Tories' financial management, as they took control at Shire Hall in 2005.

What's more the borrowing spree is set to continue. At a recent meeting the Conservative councillor in charge of the county's finances admitted that Gloucestershire County Council would 'resort to more borrowing'.

£6 million black hole

The Conservatives have also revealed that their plan to raise £11m by selling council assets to pay for services has failed completely. The new forecast is to try to raise £5 million, leaving a massive £6 million hole in the Council's budget.

Cuts on the way

£1.2 million of extra costs in social services have also been discovered, exposing the Tories' poor budgeting. As a result, services for elderly and vulnerable people will be cut and squeezed to make the extra costs fit into the original budget plans.

Runaway waste

At the same time the Conservative cabinet has wasted £100,000 of taxpayers' money on a 'communications review'. This is despite the fact that there was no plan to spend this money in the budget published by the Council earlier this year.

The shocking Conservative financial mismanagement is saddling the county's taxpayers with more and more debt. Social services for elderly and vulnerable people face cutbacks, while the Tories spend a fortune on propaganda and marketing.