Council Services Set to Fall Further

6.30.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 8th Jun 2004

Tunbridge Wells Conservatives have cut services but increased Council Tax

Councillor David Mills, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has alerted Council Taxpayers that the quality of services provided by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council will fall further in the near future, because of spending-cuts imposed by the Conservatives.

The Conservative administration has announced reductions in expenditure on:

1. Flood prevention and conservation areas.

2. The local transport network.

3. Renovation grants.

4. The Winter Street Festival and the Britain-in-Bloom competition.

5. Improving the efficiency of the Council's operations.

These reductions come on top of earlier decisions such as the closure of the cash-hall in the Town Hall. This decision was taken purely on cost-saving grounds; no account was taken of the additional cost and inconvenience that residents would suffer.

"Some of these cuts appear sad and mean and will make the Borough a bleaker, greyer place in which to live; while others are much more serious and are reckless, even foolhardy," concluded Councillor Mills.