Swindon's Conservative Councillors, and Liberal Democrat Councillors Nicky Sewell (Eastcott) & Dave Wood (Eastcott) voted against Labour's budget amendment, with all local Liberal Democrat councillors voting for the Conservatives budget proposal.
Labour's amendment included, amongst other things, cutting £17,000 budgeted by the council for refreshments & bottled water costs, £83,000 in training costs, and a combined saving of £263,000 through the re-structuring of senior management responsibilities within the council (£100,000) and a reduction in spending on consultants (£163,000)
Swindon's Conservative Councillors, and Liberal Democrat Councillors Nicky Sewell (Eastcott) & Dave Wood (Eastcott) voted against Labour's budget amendment, with all local Liberal Democrat councillors voting for the Conservatives budget proposal.
Labour's amendment included, amongst other things, cutting £17,000 budgeted by the council for refreshments & bottled water costs, £83,000 in training costs, and a combined saving of £263,000 through the re-structuring of senior management responsibilities within the council (£100,000) and a reduction in spending on consultants (£163,000)
This means that bus services currently subsidised by the Council, like the number 21 bus service that goes through Penhill, Coleview & Covingham and the number 22 and 25 bus services that go through Old Town, are all under threat of closure – something that would have been avoided if Labour’s budget amendment had been accepted.
Labour's budget amendment would have allocated £220,000 to increase the Road Maintenance Budget, specifically to address potholes, a combined amount of £200,000 for apprenticeship places for young people and for re-training opportunities to help get those looking for jobs back to work.
Instead the Conservatives voted to keep non-essential services like refreshments and bottled water and to continue spending council tax payers money on consultants and a bloated management structure.