Labour councillors have launched a stinging attack on their Plaid Cymru rivals over “cynical” plans to freeze council tax next year.
Last month, the ruling Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly County Borough Council said they would aim to freeze council tax for the second year running, but this has been branded by Labour councillors as “deceiving the public”.
Labour Group Leader, Cllr Harry Andrews said: “Plaid tried this last year and whilst they froze council tax increases on one hand, on the other hand they introduced a whole range of new charges for things that were previously free such as collection of furniture and replacement wheelie bins.
“They increased burial charges, reduced other council services and cut the number of posts available at the council by many hundreds. This proposal by Plaid is a callous attempt to try and deceive the public into thinking that Plaid is on their side, whilst diverting attention away from the stealth taxes that Plaid are introducing through the back door.”
Cllr Gerald Jones, Labour’s deputy leader and spokesman for finance, said: “We have seen many examples of Plaid’s Laurel and Hardy style of financial management from their disastrous investment in Icelandic Banks, where millions of pounds is still outstanding, to cuts in many frontline services such as care homes, street lighting and libraries.
“Another example of their incompetence is their proposed introduction of park and ride charges at railway car parks which was scheduled for last year but was delayed, possibly due to the Assembly Elections, despite having purchased ticket machines at the cost of £60,000.
“Park and Ride Charges could cost a regular commuter in the region of £360.00 per year. In addition, their freezing of vacancies has removed job opportunities for hundreds of people across our area.”
Fellow deputy leader Cllr Keith Reynolds added: “Last year, Labour proposed a 1% council tax increase which would have cost 13p per week for a band B property, this increase would have helped improve services for our young people and elderly. Instead, Plaid Cymru is prepared to sacrifice the needs of the most vulnerable people in society for political survival at the council elections in May.
“This is the worst type of politics we have seen. It shows the desperation of Plaid Cymru, but perhaps we should not be surprised given that their support in last year’s Assembly election collapsed and was their worst result since the creation of the Assembly.”
I seem to remember the Labour group calling for a zero rate increase when Plaid took over the running of the council this time. What's changed? Perhaps we should all move to RCT and really see the Labour Party in action.
@ glyndo what chaged well for a start there was a banking crash, a reseshen and now a flat lineing econimy. when labour called for a freeze there were nun of theas problems and we hadent losed millions of pounds in an icelandic bank.
The Labour Party conveniently fails to recall the rises in Council Tax above inflation we have suffered for many years. We deserve a few years with no increase.
The talk of a 1% rise as being somehow easy for people to afford is not true. Many people have seen their incomes decrease, year on year, and a rise in tax is the last thing we need. My fuel prices have shot up and I have responded by using less fuel so that the bill remains the same. I cannot do this with council services; whether I use them or not I pay.
The Plaid Cymru council is right to peg the council tax at the current level and I support this policy. There is still a long way to go in reducing financial waste in the council and I see no reason why council taxes need to rise until wastage is addressed.
A word of caution, so far the zero rise in council tax has not yet been confirmed. When the council bill drops through my letter box I will believe it, until then it is all just words.
richard apears to only see harf the problem. yes prices are higher, they are higher for the council as well. also for every one of the low end worckers (the guys who sewp your streets or mow the grass) who the council employs. do you think that they can aford a pay cut? as with the higher costs the councle has to cover that is what will be needed. well that or a bunch of hidden stelth taxs such as pay for parck and ride.
as for a long way to go with cuting waste this is the council who thort it was a good idia to try and close4 the easy to get to well located rent office in the middle of town next to the banks and force peaple to go ti ty penalta every mouth (a cost to the magority peaple makeing the trip each mouth higher than the prosoed 1% i may add). is that the sort of thinking you whant planing were to save monney
as for not useing council services do you not get your bins emptyed? are your roads not salted when its icey? never used a street light to see your way? i dont think there are meany peaple in the aria who use no council services
Geriant seems to think that I said I do not use council services, I never said this. I am making the point that in very tough financial times I am able to tighten my belt and use less gas, electricity, diesel, etc but am unable to unilaterally reduce my spending on council taxes.
I do not support Plaid Cymru but am mature enough to state when I think they have got things right as well as criticising them when I believe they are wrong. The intention not to increase council tax this year is the correct one. I already pay too much due to the re-banding (stealth tax applicable only in Wales) introduced by the Labour government. This exercise increased the cost of my terraced house by one council tax band for no good reason. The good people of Merry England were spared this rise. Perhaps a labour supporter can explain why this was done?
@geriant reeves So, it's OK to call for a council tax freeze when we are doing OK, but not when it's tough for everybody.
Is that what you're saying? Is that Labour Party thinking in action? I thought they were supposed to be the Party of the people, not the bankers.