Despite campaign promises in the lead up to the last local elections to reduce Woking's debt levels, at last week's Full Council meeting the Liberal Democrat administration voted to increase Woking's borrowing levels to £745million and introduce huge rises in Woking's discretionary fees and charges.
For months Liberal Democrats, Labour and Independent Councillors and Candidates had been criticising the Council's levels of debt and vowed to reduce it should they get into power. Now only 6 months into a Lib Dem administration, they have voted to increase Woking's borrowing levels by £45million to £745million. This move was supported by the Labour and the Independent Groups. This is a bad decision for residents of Woking as there were alternatives available. The financial model used by the Conservative administration was to purchase the Red & Green Car Parks, which would have secured an asset for the Council and allowed it to receive income on that asset. Instead the Lib Dems will be borrowing an extra £45million, adding to the Council's debt, but also paying nearly £1.5million a year to Victoria Square Woking Ltd., to manage the car parks. The Woking Conservative group did NOT vote for this extra borrowing.
Fees & Charges for next year were also agreed at the meeting. The across-the-board increases mean the amount residents pay will now be at their highest ever levels, and these huge increases - in some cases as high as 200% will hurt those most in need in our community. Everything from increasing car parking from £1.60 to £1.80 an hour, to increasing community meals by 20% for the most vulnerable residents. From increasing the independent support pop-in service - a lifeline for our most vulnerable, elderly and disabled residents, from £18.00 to £25.00 an hour; to increasing the resident's 24-hour car park permit by £100; these are just some of the increases - there are many more.
The Woking Conservative Group feel this is simply WRONG. This is callous and heartless. We understand there are financial challenges faced by the Council, but so many of these increases are well above inflation and not proportionate. To hear the Lib Dem administration say they have no choice but to push through these increases in simply not true. There is ALWAYS a choice. We voted AGAINST these charges, but the administration had the numbers to push them through. Although it was telling that two of their own group abstained and refused to vote these through.
As usual with the Lib Dems they say and promise one thing in order to get elected, and in practice do the exact opposite. Don't Believe Them, Don't Trust Them.
