Cash Strapped Tory Council to Slash & Burn to Balance the Books

Draft Conservative Budget Reveals Massive Extent of Conservative Financial Incompetence at the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead

After 12 years of Conservative misrule, the publication of the 2020/2021 budget savings report reveals the true extent of the financial deficit run up by local Conservatives.

Whilst claiming year on year to be prudent and efficient, local Torynomics rested on borrowing from the council's reserves to meet day to day spending, in order to artificially keep council tax low. With the savings pot nearly empty the Conservatives are now forced to break dozens of election promises they've made over the years and make cuts in services and benefits in a desperate scramble to get the council's finances back in touch with reality.

Amongst the services and benefits under attack are:

• Removing the Advantage Card discount in the borough's car parks - encouraging people to drive further instead of supporting our already struggling town centre.
• Almost doubling the green waste collection fee - will discouraging residents from recycling gardening waste responsibly.
• Cuts to subsidised routes - forcing residents back into their cars.

Amy Tisi (Liberal Democrat, Clewer East) said, "The Conservatives spent around £750,000 on new parking machines to help combat 'Advantage Card fraud'. Now they are doing away with the Advantage Card car parking discounts and residents are left to battle with poorly designed machines, while our already hard pressed town centre will lose even more trade"

Conservatives plan to raise money by introducing charges for resident's parking schemes, residents who signed up for free residents' parking permits in Windsor will be shocked to discover that in future it will cost them a minimum of £50 to park outside their own homes (£70 for all but the first car).

Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat, Furze Platt) said, "In the run-up to the local elections local Conservatives attempted to discredit the Lib Dems by implying we would start charging for parking permits. Now, they are the ones doing just that."

Among other proposed cuts and broken promises are: A reduction in the Royal Borough's Community Warden Service - despite a Conservtive election pledge to have at least 25 community wardens and the reduction of youth and early years services. Youth and early years services will now be delivered through two hubs, and will only be offered to people who are already identified as being in need. Despite the public consultation still supposedly being open, Conservatives have already decided that drop-in sessions will end.

Simon Bond (Liberal Democrat, Belmont), said, "Liberal Democrat councillors have argued that drop-in sessions are invaluable at identifying people struggling with invisible issues such as depression or domestic violence. Those people will now be left out in the cold."

Simon Werner (Liberal Democrat, Pinkneys Green), Leader of the Opposition, said, "I have been saying for several years now that the borough is on a course to financial disaster. Council tax freezes and cuts are great for making the headlines and earning MBEs, but are unsustainable in the long term. Now, residents will pay the price."