Opposition Plaid Cymru councillors in Caerphilly have warned against a list of proposed spending cuts which would see charges brought in for dealing with rats and garden waste collection, closing public toilets and hiking sports club pitch hire charges.
Caerphilly County Borough Council is having to make almost £14.6 million worth of savings next year after the money it gets from Welsh Government was slashed by 3%.
Shadow Regeneration Spokesperson Councillor Rob Gough said: “While appreciating that £14.6m worth of savings need to be made by the council as a whole, the Plaid Cymru group questions the priorities drawn up by council officers.
“Is proposing a £20 fee when people call the council because they have rats in their home or a charge for the collection of garden waste the correct priorities, as well as £25 for all replacement waste bins, even if they are stolen?
“It is also proposed to stop cleaning parks at weekends which could leave empty bottles and cans and broken glass left strewn around on the busiest days for families and children.”
Cllr Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group, said: “These swingeing cuts will hit people in Caerphilly County Borough Council hard and we question some of the priorities drawn up on the environment budget.
“Given the scandals at Caerphilly council over the last year, the public will ask what pain those at the top will bear.”
The council’s deputy leader, Keith Reynolds hit back and said: “It’s a bit rich of Rob Gough to talk about wheelie bin replacement charges when the previous Plaid Cymru administration introduced the charges in the first place.
“I would like Colin Mann to put forward alternative proposals to make the £14.53m savings in the next financial next year.”
Cllr Reynolds added that all the proposals had been considered by the council’s scrutiny committees.
He said: “It is possible those committees will look at the council’s budget plans again before they are considered by the cabinet.”
Cllr Reynolds also said staff had been told that compulsory redundancies were a last resort.
Extra charges and what could be cut in 2014/15
- Increase outdoor facility charges by 20% for three years, bringing in £60,000.
- Review weekend parks cleansing service saving £10,000.
- Charges for replacement new issue waste containers (raising £63,000).
- Closing public toilets saving £24,000.
- Introduction of charges for garden waste collection services (£80,000).
- Introducing £20 charge for dealing with rat infestation.
- Review of off-street parking charges saving £30,000 in 2014/15.
- Review of leisure centre provision – including closures saving £20,000 in 2014/15, £66,000 in 2015/16 and £731,000 in 2016-17.
How surprising that Plaid Cymru are critical of Labours list of "proposed spending cuts"! From reading the article they are just proposals at this stage. When making any cutbacks, whether in a household, industry or government, a list is usually made and then that list it scrutinised to see what cutbacks are feasable and what are not before a decision is made. How ironic that Plaid Cymru have criticized the proposal for charging for collection of garden waste etc when they themselves introduced a charge for the collection of bulky waste, such as fridges, freezers and household furniture etc which some could ill afford therefore these items were just dumped and left the countryside unsightly, at least if people chose to dump their garden waste it will decay unlike a fridge! Also am I missing something as if CCBC under Plaid Cymru's leadership had not invested and lost money in Icelandic banks maybe no cuts would have to be made? Afterall how much money was invested in the Icelandic banks, would it have covered these proposed cuts? Therefore, surely Plaid Cymru should take some responsibility for having to make such drastic cuts?
So can any Plaid Cymru Councillor state what services they would cut instead of simply slagging Labour's choices off? They offer no alternative whatsoever.
Less parties and buffets for the so called elite in the council will save money. Removing pay rises that were unlawful to start with especially to those who got high paid jobs through relations without having the qualifications is another. Closing toilets is going against advice of assembly and health organisations
bbc.co.uk /news/uk-wales-17237 717.
bbc.co.uk /news/uk-wales-polit ics-16638078.
Perhaps the assembly need to make councils legally bound to provide them.
Spend less money in bargoed like building a cinema which a cinema group should have built themselves and then save our toilets.
Newbridge had no facilities in the regenerstion except new pavements which are already plastered in chewing gum, businesses went to the wall and now they want to close the toilets. The only councillor that ever goes around the village is kath baker you never see the other two.
Why have they built the new centre for excellence in football and rugby if they intend to cut leisure facilities.