Yet another by-election will take place shortly for the Town Council. People are not gullible stooges, they will not follow any ‘pied piper’ who plays a catchy tune.
They recognise the difference between a slogan that is shorthand for a substantial idea and an empty bit of gibberish that leads nowhere.
Cllr Stead made a number of statements last week in his article placed in Newton News, in advance of the Policy & Resources Committee meeting, he stated “In the meeting … Cllr Stead is set to provide twenty different areas the Council can look at to reduce costs.” Yet, he accepted Labour’s amendment to his motion, in which he agreed to increase Council Tax by 1.99%.
He stated at the meeting “he was advised that the Council has more than enough time and could change the Council Tax increase to zero in this budgetary year”, but that he was more than happy to accept Labour’s amendment which increases it by 1.99%, (incidentally his own Lib/Dem Leader at County Hall has agreed an increase on County Council Tax of 1.99% for the next four years).
When your words do not match your actions, your words are meaningless.
His suggestion that going paperless would save thousands of pounds runs contrary to the Council’s own report two years ago in which going paperless would cost £10,000 more than the present system (economies of scale).
The Policy of the Independents is to manage the Council’s finances and assets responsibly. Budgets have been developed in line with the key principles from the Medium Term Financial Plan of maintaining existing services, delivering the Asset & Liabilities Management Plan, safeguarding balances and reserves, not taking out loans for future generations to pay and keeping future council tax increases as low as possible. We will not slash facilities and services. The Santa Tours, Senior Citizens Trips, Fireworks Display, all safe with us (barring Covid).
Voters are not credulous dim wits, they can tell the difference between an idea that is serious and a headline grabbing bit of nonsense which has not been properly thought through, let alone costed, either economically or socially. You can’t just shoot your mouth off treating people like idiots.
Cllr Arun M Chandran
Chairman of Policy & Resources Committee
Great Aycliffe Town Council