The Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Green Party Groups on Bradford Council have reached agreement on the local authority’s budget for the next financial year including a below-inflation Council Tax increase of 2.5%.
The three Group Leaders Cllr Kris Hopkins (Con), Cllr Jeanette Sunderland (Lib Dem) and Cllr Martin Love (Green) presented a joint budget document to a meeting of the Council’s Executive in City Hall earlier today.
The proposals will now go forward for the approval of full Council on Thursday afternoon.
Speaking after the Executive meeting, Cllr Hopkins said he was glad that agreement had been found after a week of intensive negotiations.
“I would like to thank Jeanette, Martin and their colleagues for the responsible approach they adopted as we worked to reach an agreement in the best interests of Bradford district,” he commented. “Bradford is a balanced council and appropriate compromises must be reached.”
“Despite being invited to play a full part in our discussions, it is regrettable that the Labour Group once again took the decision to absent themselves from the budget process, thereby depriving its own supporters of a direct say in where their Council Tax money will be spent.
“On behalf of the Conservative Group, I am delighted that we have secured significant new funding for schools, Odsal Sporting Village, the City Park, a new health centre in Keighley and community hubs. As well as the large scale improvements to the district’s infrastructure, it is hoped that these projects will lead to the creation of significant numbers of new jobs for local residents.
“Many other schemes and community groups will also benefit including through the provision of improved facilities for older people, new play and parenting schemes, bursaries for sporting and academic excellence, better access to professional financial and legal advice, and high quality health and wellbeing cafes.
“At a time of great economic difficulty for many people living in our district, I believe we have found an affordable, responsible but also imaginative way forward. Crucially, it is a vision that we have a collective determination to deliver.”
Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Jeanette Sunderland said:
“Securing more resources to raise educational achievement, to provide additional apprenticeships for young people, to protect adults in need of social care and to mitigate against some of the worst effects of the recession across the district were the Liberal Democrat Group’s principal goals in these negotiations and I am satisfied that all of these objectives have been achieved.
“On the capital side, securing the money necessary to keep the Building Schools for the Future programme moving forward was our top priority alongside funding for a new school for children with special educational needs or behavioural difficulties. Again, we have managed to do this as well as offer support to some of the district’s other major capital schemes such as the Odsal Sporting Village and the City Park.
“Alongside my Liberal Democrat colleagues, I now look forward to playing my full part in ensuring that these budget proposals are implemented.”
Green Party Group Leader Cllr Martin Love said:
“As last year, I am pleased to have had the opportunity on behalf of my Group to inject a definite green tinge into this year’s Council budget.
“Reducing our carbon emissions and having the environment at the core of our thinking when deciding how Bradford Council should best provide its services is not a luxury but a necessity in today’s world.
“The Greens will continue to play our lead role in reminding councillors of all parties and officers of this reality over the next twelve months and, hopefully, far beyond.”
