Harlow Liberal Democrats News

Lib Dems become main opposition at Essex County Council

2009-06-08T20:38:00.000+01:00

The Liberal Democrats are celebrating a significant increase in councillors at county hall. The group went from 8 councillors to 12, taking seats from both the Conservatives and Labour and becoming the official opposition to the ruling Conservatives on Essex County Council.

Labour have been left with a single county councillor, from Colchester. In Harlow, all three Labour county councillors were defeated, making this the second year in a row in which Labour has come away from local elections winning not a single seat in Harlow.

Essex County Council Lib Dem group leader Tom Smith-Hughes said:

"We are delighted with our performance in these elections which has come off the back of well run local campaigning. We have some very able councillors who have been doing outstanding work in their local areas and this was reflected in the results. Our group is now the official opposition at Essex County Council and we take our role of holding the Conservative administration to account very seriously. We will press for them to get the basics right.

It has been an astonishing result for the Labour group who have been virtually extinguished - left with a single councillor. Clearly Labour is finished here in Essex. The shambles that is the Labour government was no doubt a factor in the way people voted this time, although the Labour presence has been in steady decline at county hall for over a decade."

Duff welcomes steady progress of Liberal Democrats across East Of England

2009-06-08T10:07:00.003+01:00

On Sunday 7 June Andrew Duff was re-elected as the Liberal Democrat Euro MP for the East of England. In a statement at the count in St Ives, Huntingdon, he said:

"This was my sixth election campaign for the European Parliament - and undoubtedly the most gruelling. As the Westminster expenses scandal took over, the important issues about the future of the European Union, and of Britain's place within it, were driven underground. It is a shame that the serious problems facing the country - including jobs and climate change - were barely addressed by our opposing parties or the media.

Despite the rise of the nationalist right, Liberal Democrats across the region have proved very resilient - Stronger Together indeed. It is encouraging for us to be elected ahead of Labour in the European polls.

In Thursday's county council elections, we finished 9 seats up. In the new unitary authorities of Bedfordshire we have also made a good showing, becoming the largest party in Bedford.

The party has made steady progress in these difficult times. Many thanks to all council and European candidates, especially my colleague Linda Jack, and to all Lib Dem activists.

Now it's back to work."

TAKE BACK POWER: Change politics for good

2009-05-28T16:47:00.000+01:00

In the wake of the MPs' expenses scandal, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has unveiled a 100-day plan to reform 'every nook and cranny' of Britain's political system.

The plan would make it possible for MPs to be sacked by their constituents; abolish the House of Lords; get corrupt money out of politics; and change the electoral system to give a voice to everyone.

Lib Dems hope for second MEP in East of England

2009-05-27T07:50:00.002+01:00

East of England Liberal Democrats are in a good position to gain a second seat in the European Parliament at the election next Thursday, 4 June. As their door-to-door campaigning intensifies across the region, Andrew Duff MEP says:

"Anger at the Westminster expenses scandal is turning into a more serious effort to engage with the political reform agenda that Liberal Democrats have advanced for years.

The huge challenges posed by the financial turmoil, economic crash, climate change and international insecurity make a powerful case for a stronger and better European Union.

Liberal Democrats believe that Britain has a choice between being stronger together in Europe, or poorer apart.

We are well known for getting things done in our county councils, and for providing real opposition at Westminster. As leader of the Lib Dems in the European Parliament, I am helping to ensure that Europe delivers benefits for our region, our country and the wider world.

Voters would be wise to avoid single issue parties which have no answers to the big political agenda.

I hope that the nationalists and isolationists are heavily defeated in the East of England. It is frankly a disgrace that we have had two UKIP MEPs for the last five years who have been either useless or embroiled in corruption scandals.

As people react against failing Labour and avoid a Tory vote that would further marginalise the UK in Europe, they are turning to the Lib Dems. Engaging with the electorate we find encouraging support. Linda Jack has a good chance of becoming our second MEP next week."

The Lib Dems need only a 3% swing on the 2004 result to win two seats in the European Parliament.

Harlow Council Lib Dems announce leadership team

2009-05-20T15:51:00.000+01:00

Cllr Chris Millington has been re-elected unopposed as Leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Harlow Council. Cllr Robert Thurston has also been elected unopposed as the group's Deputy Leader.

Cllr Lesley Rideout is the Group's new Chair, taking over unopposed from Cllr Eleanor Macy who has stepped down from this role. Cllr Lorna Spenceley was re-elected unopposed as Group Secretary.

The Group thanked Eleanor for her hard work as Group Chair over the last year.

Essex Liberal Democrats manifesto

2009-05-15T16:38:00.004+01:00

Liberal Democrats in Essex have launched their manifesto for the Essex County Council elections on Thursday 4 June:

It's time for a change.
Liberal Democrats will put services before spin

1. Get basic services right
Liberal Democrats will Make It Happen by:

Taking action needed to protect vulnerable children

Repairing potholes all year round - not just before an election

Developing better public transport, cycle paths and footpaths

Instead of the Conservative policies:

Nearly £5 million each year on glossy brochures and spin

'Jobs for the Boys' - special allowances for Conservative Councillors

Self-promoting trips around the world

Independent inspectors have ranked Essex County Council just average overall, but services for vulnerable children have been rated amongst the worst in the country. Money spent on spin can no longer be allowed to cover up such catastrophic failings.

2. A greener, fairer future
Liberal Democrats will Make It Happen by:

More recycling of waste

More money for young people's services, particularly the voluntary sector

New housing to be carbon-neutral and built with community facilities

Instead of the Conservative policies:

Massive waste treatment plants/incineration

Cuts to the youth service budget

Believing that outsourcing services is always the best option

3. Supporting the economy
Liberal Democrats will Make It Happen by:

Council Tax rebate of £50 for those in Band A-D houses

Income Tax cuts for low and middle earners

Creating job opportunities and apprenticeships

Instead of the Conservative policies:

Council Tax up 130% over 12 years

Tax cuts for millionaires

Meals on Wheels charges doubled

Liberal Democrats launch European election campaign

2009-05-12T22:44:00.002+01:00

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has launched the party's European election campaign, warning that Britain must lead within the EU to protect families from crime, climate change and the recession. Nick published the Party's European manifesto Stronger Together, Poorer Apart in central London, and said:

"We can only protect British families from crime, the recession and climate change if our country works with other EU countries.

Criminals, business, climate change - these things cross borders. So the police, regulators, and environmental action have to cross borders too. It's the EU that makes this essential cooperation possible.

Only the Liberal Democrats know how to provide security, jobs, and a clean environment by leading in the European Union.

Liberal Democrats backed EU plans for the fast track extradition of thousands of criminals suspects across Europe - including 21/7 bomber Hussein Osman who was extradited in just three weeks from Rome. It would have taken months if UKIP and the Conservatives had succeeded in blocking these new rules.

Liberal Democrats support EU police and judicial cooperation, which have achieved a huge amount in particular in relation to people trafficking and internet crime.

One investigation known as Operation Koala managed to close down a website which contained 150 sexually explicit videos of underage girls and prosecute the people who ran it and its customers.

Because the operators and users of this site were in a total of 28 different countries, it was only because of EU cooperation that the prosecution was swift and successful."

Harlow Lawn Tennis Club

2009-05-06T17:38:00.000+01:00

Liberal Democrat councillors Manny Doku and Lorna Spenceley were at the Latton Bush Centre to watch tennis legend Greg Rusedski officially open the new indoor tennis courts. Cllr Spenceley, whose council ward includes the courts, said:

"The decision by the bowls club to release some of their surplus courts for this project was a great opportunity to overcome the problems with the initial proposals.

It's excellent news that the courts could be built without using open green wedge land, and that children and adults alike now have the opportunity to play tennis whatever the weather."

Liberal Democrats' election pledge - services not spin

2009-05-05T14:44:00.005+01:00

Liberal Democrats in Essex launched their election campaign by highlighting one of their campaign issues - potholes. Liberal Democrat county council leader Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes explained more about the party's campaign:

"It's a very simple message - taxpayers' money needs to be spent on more services for the benefit of local people and less on spin and publicity that benefits politicians.

Sadly, the last four years of Conservative control have seen Essex County Council downgraded in its performance by independent assessors. This was mainly as a result of its deteriorating children's services in general and services for vulnerable children in particular, which along with only seven other councils in the country, have been identified as inadequate. Concentrating on providing first class services and getting the basics right must be the first priority, yet money has been frittered away on hosting seminars, spin and publicity and the launch of a publicly funded public relations company.

We want roads and pavements fixed and comprehensive services for the elderly, the sick and for children. Liberal Democrats would cut the council's budget for publicity and spin and reinvest the money into mainstream services. Services not spin.

Providing high quality council services that the public wants and expects is the primary concern of Liberal Democrats in Essex and is at the centre of our election manifesto. At this time of financial uncertainty, it is especially important that hard earned taxpayers' money is spent diligently and appropriately.

The council is currently sitting on £200m in reserve funds, money that has been paid by taxpayers, and we would return some of that money back to struggling residents for them to spend as they see fit."

Liberal Democrats win Staple Tye by-election

2009-05-01T12:26:00.001+01:00

The Liberal Democrats were the winners in the council by-election in Staple Tye on Thursday 30th April 2009. The result was:

LIB DEM John Strachan 604
CON 544
LAB 329
UKIP 66

Turnout 30%
LIB DEM GAIN (from Con) - majority 60

The by-election was held to replace former Conservative councillor David Kirton, who is in prison on remand.

The Liberal Democrats fought a strong Fight the Cuts campaign.

The result shows voters' anger at the cuts the Conservative Council has made to Harlow's services, while at the same time giving big rises to senior officers, and imposing car parking charges and an inflation-busting Council Tax increase.

Essex Tories take a spin too far

2009-04-28T14:39:00.000+01:00

Conservative Essex County Council's plans to launch its own public relations agency with Essex taxpayers' money have been slammed by opponents. Essex County Council plans to appoint up to 11 extra staff who will work alongside the existing 25 strong communications team.

Commenting on the plans, Essex County Council Liberal Democrats group leader Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes said:

"This is the point where the Conservative administration has finally taken leave of its senses. As if Essex residents were not suffering enough in this financial crisis, they now have to watch their hard earned cash being ploughed into a pet project, likely to end in tears, rather than having it spent on fixing roads or providing services for children or the elderly. Taxpayers will, of course, pay for all expenditure and will be liable for any losses.

There is currently an investigation into the council's communications department being undertaken after complaints were made about dishonest and misleading ads placed by the council communications department. The council needs to sort out its own PR. Against that background, it is particularly foolhardy to be contemplating such a venture."

Lib Dems condemn inflexible, long-term, expensive waste commitment

2009-04-23T23:34:00.001+01:00

Harlow's Liberal Democrat councillors have condemned the decision of the Conservative council to sign up to a long-term waste agreement with Essex County Council.

The decision, taken by the council at a special meeting, will bind the council to a long-term agreement with Essex County Council lasting 25 years from when it is signed in 2011.

The agreement is based on the County Council's proposal to develop large, inflexible waste treatment plants in Essex. The County Council intends to bid to the Government for these to be built by the private sector as a PFI scheme.

Harlow Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Cllr Lorna Spenceley said:

"This scheme is fundamendally flawed. It sets very low expectations for recycling and waste reduction. It's a long-term plan which ties up the council for almost 30 years. And it's an expensive commitment to maintain oversized waste facilities in Essex.

PFI schemes up and down the country have been notorious for providing poor value for local taxpayers. And while Conservative councillors boast that this agreement will bring in money from Essex County Council, they should remember that Essex County Council's money also comes from the taxpayer through our council tax. Harlow residents could be lumbered with the cost of this scheme for a very, very long time."

Local UKIP MEP charged with false accounting and money laundering

2009-04-21T09:36:00.000+01:00

A Member of the European Parliament for the area that includes Harlow has been charged with false accounting and money laundering. Tom Wise was elected as a UKIP Member of the European Parliament for the East of England in 2004. Elections to the European Parliament are due to take place on Thursday 4 June.

Tory council advertisements inaccurate and dishonest

2009-04-06T09:29:00.000+01:00

A council culture of ambiguity, exaggeration, omission and dishonesty

Press advertisements placed by Conservative run Essex County Council are inaccurate, dishonest and misleading, according to a formal complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority. The ads have been running in local papers across Essex over the last few weeks and advertise the administration's pledges on council tax and post office initiative.

Speaking about the ads, Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes, Liberal Democrats group leader on Essex County Council, said:

"Two of the ads placed by the council in local papers and paid for with taxpayers' money, contain information that we believe to be in breach of guidelines for advertising standards. As a consequence, we have complained to the council's chief executive and senior officers and in the absence of an appropriate explanation, we have lodged a formal complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority.

One of the ads claimed that five post offices have already been re-opened under the council's post office initiative. That is incorrect as only three post offices are currently operational under the scheme.

A second ad claims that this year's council tax is the 'lowest ever council tax'. This is clear nonsense as council tax has gone up every year of the Conservatives' rule at County Hall, so this year's council tax is actually the highest ever. A second statement in the same ad says that a council tax rise of 1.9% this year '..fulfils a pledge made to you late year to keep any rise in Council Tax below inflation'. A blatant untruth as the inflation rate at the time the council tax was set was, in fact, 0.9%.

We have been saying for ages now, that this Conservative administration is obsessed with its own image and its commitment to spin and publicity appears its main priority. Glossing up press releases is one thing, but to use taxpayers' money to pay for flagrantly untrue ads is quite another thing."

Advice Centre future remains in doubt

2009-04-02T16:45:00.000+01:00

Liberal Democrat councillor Linda Pailing writes:

The last-minute change of mind by Harlow's Conservative-led council over the future of the advice centre offers a glimmer of hope for local residents. But serious concerns still remain about the council's plans.

There will be more money for advice services than the Conservatives originally proposed. But even so, the service will be operating on less than one-third of its previous grant. This will be a serious cut in the level of help available, just as demand is increasing as a result of the credit crunch.

There is also no guarantee that the council will award the contract for specialist advice services to Harlow Welfare Rights - or to any other external supplier. If the contract is not awarded, the Conservatives say the council will run a limited advice service itself from within Contact Harlow. How will that be able to offer independent advice in cases where people's problems are with council departments such as housing or benefits?

There is no certainty of the amount of money to be granted to the Citizens' Advice Bureau to enable it to continue to offer general advice. A council officer, in consultation only with two Conservative councillors, will negotiate and agree a one-year-only deal with the CAB. And the CAB may no longer be able to rely on the benefits, such as out-of-hours reception desking, and cleaning costs, that it has enjoyed from working in the same building as Harlow Welfare Rights.

The only reason the Conservatives have been forced to come forward at the eleventh hour to agree any of these modest improvements, was the overturning of their original plans by the High Court, and an unprecedented backlash from service users, residents, and opposition councillors.

Left to their own devices, the Conservatives would be prepared to see the Advice Centre close and vulnerable residents left without help. That is the message that local people will take away from this whole sorry story.

Tories not up to running a bank

2009-03-31T17:22:00.000+01:00

The Conservative administration at Essex County Council is not competent enough to run a bank and should stick to doing what Essex taxpayers expect it to do - provide better quality services than it does at present, according to the Liberal Democrat group at the county council. Speaking about the Conservatives' proposal for a county-run Bank of Essex, Liberal Democrat county council group leader Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes said:

"The Conservative administration is currently having to put right its service to protect vulnerable children, which has been assessed as being one of the worst in the country. As a consequence, it is difficult to have confidence in this administration's ability to run its own core business, so the idea of it getting involved with running a business in which it has no experience or knowledge, is a delusion of grandeur which is hard to swallow.

For £50 million of taxpayers' money, plus operation costs of a minimum of £250,000, to be put at risk and especially in this time of financial turbulence, requires the strictest of guarantees that the money will be protected. As far as we can make out, the proposal on the table does not give these guarantees and it is unclear how and when the taxpayer will get this money back. My group has already recommended that any excess funds should be distributed back to taxpayers in Essex, to help them through these difficult financial times.

There is a serious question of whether an administration that is badly failing to run some of its own services to acceptable standards, can be trusted with taxpayers' money in a business it knows nothing about. If Essex was a top performing council there may be a better case for it getting involved with other ventures, but at this point, the Conservatives should focus more on providing basic services that the taxpayers pay for, to a standard that is expected by all the residents of Essex."

BY-ELECTION IN STAPLE TYE

2009-03-28T11:22:00.000Z

The By-Election to replace former Conservative councillor David Kirton (still in prison on remand) will be held on Thursday 30th April 2009.

Liberal Democrat candidate John Strachan says

"Voters in Staple Tye now have the opportunity to show the Conservative Council what they think of the cuts to services, charges for car parking and record Council Tax rises.
A win for the Liberal Democrats with their Fight the Cuts campaign will send a strong message to the Conservatives that we won't stand for more cuts to Harlow's vital services."
Show your support for John's campaign by filling in the Fight the Cuts petition on this page.

John will be a strong and hard working local voice for Staple Tye, replacing the former Conservative councillor who has done nothing for the people of Staple Tye.

3 things to remember about this election

John is leading the Fight the Cuts campaign against the Conservative cuts to our local services.
The last Conservative to be elected in Staple Tye has spent 6 months in prison on remand.
Labour came third in 2008, third in 2007 and third in 2006. Labour have never won an election in Staple Tye. Only Liberal Democrat John can beat the Conservatives.

Local Lib Dem MEP calls for Stansted second runway plans to be scrapped

2009-03-19T13:32:00.002Z

Following the announcement that the Competition Commission has reiterated its determination to force BAA to sell Gatwick and Stansted airports, Liberal Democrat Euro MP Andrew Duff said:

"In the light of the decision of the Competition Commission to force BAA to sell Stansted, the planning application for the second runway must now be withdrawn and the public enquiry scrapped.

It would be a colossal waste of public money to proceed to try to expand the size of the airport when its very ownership is uncertain - to say nothing of the impact of the climate crisis and economic slump on the future of the aviation sector.

The interest of the East of England is in having in Stansted a clean, efficient and quiet airport with regular and reliable links into the international hubs on mainland Europe. The airport, airlines, passengers and employees, as well as local residents, deserve to have an end to this endless speculation and uncertainty."

Conservatives force through car parking charges

2009-03-17T23:31:00.001Z

Conservatives on Harlow Council used their majority to force through car parking charges at neighbourhood shopping centres, the short-stay area at the Town Station, and the Town Park, despite fierce opposition from the public.

Conservatives on the council's Environment & Community Committee voted on Tuesday 17 March to introduce the charges. Users of shops at Bush Fair, The Stow and Old Harlow will have only one hour's free parking. Some workers at these centres will receive staff passes entitling them to park for £50 a year, but there will not be enough to go round, and some workers - such as those in the NHS health centres - will not qualify for them.

Liberal Democrat councillors opposed the charges, but were outvoted.

'Inadequate' child protection services in major shake-up

2009-03-17T15:26:00.000Z

A damning judgement of Essex County Council's social services has been accepted by the man appointed to turn the ailing system around.

Local businesses say NO to car parking charges

2009-03-12T18:57:00.002Z

Local businesses are united in their opposition to plans for the imposition of car parking charges at local shopping centres.

Over 80 local businesses and organisations with premises in Bush Fair, The Stow and Old Harlow have responded to a survey by Liberal Democrat councillors and campaigners of their views on the scheme. Those who have replied include traders, professional and financial services, charities, doctors' and dentists' surgeries, and local clubs and societies.

The proposals, which have already been included in the Conservative council's budget plans, have received an angry reception - with only one of those who replied expressing support for the charges.

Disgusting, devastating, a disaster, and defying logic are just some of the descriptions of the plans given by local businesses. Traders believe the charges will put off customers, leading to the closure of local stores. And there are fears that many low paid employees will simply not be able to afford £30 per week to park at work.

Many respondents say that they are already experiencing tough trading conditions as the credit crunch bites, and that the council's proposals will be another nail in the coffin of local shops and shopping centres.

Cllr Manny Doku (Bush Fair) says:

"Shops, clubs and health services alike fear the devastating effect of these charges on staff, customers and patients."

Cllr Robert Thurston (Mark Hall) says:

"The opposition to these charges is overwhelming. The Conservative council must come to its senses and scrap these ill-conceived plans."

Ian Jackson (Harlow North) says:

"The recession is making conditions in the high street bad enough already for local businesses. Plans to charge customers and staff for parking will only make matters worse, and must be stopped."

The council is due to reach its decision on car parking charges at a meeting of the Environment & Community Committee on Tuesday 17 March.

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS CALL FOR STAPLE TYE BY-ELECTION

2009-03-12T14:50:00.000Z

Former Liberal Democrat Councillor Su Lawton and local resident Mr. Khan handed in a letter to the Council's Chief Executive and Returning Officer this morning, demanding a by-election be held in Staple Tye ward, following the announcement of a "casual vacancy" in the ward caused by Cllr David Kirton not having attended any Council meetings since 11 September 2008.

Staple Tye has been without effective service from Cllr Kirton for 6 months, because he has been in prison on remand, charged with serious sexual offences. Kirton was elected as a Conservative in May 2008.

UPDATE:The Returning Officer has now confirmed that "the requisite two requests for a by-election have been received".

The By-Election will be held on 30 April 2009.

Essex County Council: yet more spin as council falls short

2009-03-05T21:45:00.000Z

Conservative run Essex County Council has failed to regain its 4 star status signifying an 'excellent' council, a report from the government's independent inspectors has revealed. The Corporate Performance Assessment (CPA), carried out for all local authorities, has judged that the council has only performed at a 3 star level. Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes, leader of the county council's Liberal Democrats, said:

"This is very disappointing news for the residents of Essex. The county council had gained a 4 star rating, but only managed to hold on to it briefly before it was downgraded to a 3 star council because of a poor report on children's services at the end of 2007.

Since then, the Conservative leadership has spent significant amounts of taxpayers' money, and thousands of hours of council officers' time, in pursuit of regaining 4 stars. However, at the same time, it was neglecting basic public services and has recently seen aspects of its children service actually go backwards, particularly the crucial and sensitive area of safeguarding vulnerable children, moving from only 'adequate' to a damning 'inadequate' according to Ofsted. This ruled out any chance of regaining the 4 star rating.

Despite the administration's hype and so-called top priority of 'putting the customer first', the inspectors also found that the council's lack of engagement with the public regarding its performance means that local residents and taxpayers have no idea what quality and level of service to expect. In addition, the council has no overall system of dealing with residents' complaints, no public reporting on issues raised by residents and the action taken to address them.

At this February's budget meeting, my group recommended a cut in the council's publicity budget with the money going into frontline services instead. This was rejected by the Conservatives, which shows only too acutely exactly where their priorities lie - spin and self-promotion is king. Unfortunately, it is the increasingly cash strapped public that is the big loser."

Liberal Democrats in Harlow prepare for conference

2009-03-02T14:31:00.001Z

Liberal Democrats in Harlow will soon be packing their bags to head off to the party's spring conference in Harrogate. Doors to the conference will open on Friday 6 March. It will close on Sunday 8 March with a speech from party leader Nick Clegg MP.

Those attending from Harlow are Parliamentary spokesman Dave White; local party chairman David Wright; council group leader and deputy leader Chris Millington and Robert Thurston; councillor Lorna Spenceley; and local members Shinjita Basu and Richard Gladding. Dave White says:

"Local members are really looking forward to going to the conference. There are some great debates coming up and the chance to refresh our campaigning on local issues.

Our Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable will be talking on the economy and conference will be rounded off with a speech by Nick Clegg."

There will be debates on reforming the banks and the financial sector, skills and higher education, schools, prisons and childcare.

In addition to Nick Clegg and Vince Cable, there will be a speech by Howard Dean, who campaigned to win the US Presidential nomination for the Democrats in 2004. Though Mr Dean did not win the nomination, he is widely regarded as having dramatically changed and improved campaigning on the internet.

Services not spin for Essex residents

2009-02-10T17:54:00.003Z

Less money on spin and more money on services, was the call from Essex Liberal Democrats as the group announced its alternative budget at Essex County Council today. Also included in the budget was a one-off rebate, giving back taxpayers money that has been stockpiled by the ruling Conservatives for several years.

The Liberal Democrats revealed their own alternative budget and vision for Essex including these measures:

A cut in the council's spend on publicity and spin with the money going straight into providing frontline services

A one off rebate of £50 to each household in council tax property bands A-D which would benefit around three quarters of households in Essex

Increased spending on young people, including measures for getting more young people into work through an apprenticeship scheme

Extra money for advising people on reducing and recycling as much rubbish as possible.

Speaking about the budget, Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes, Liberal Democrat group leader on Essex County Council, said:

"There have been two trends to the current administration's term of office. One has been the use of council taxpayers' money to build up huge reserve funds that have sat unused for years. We have remedied this, by recommending that a one-off £50 rebate is given to around 440,000 households across the county, putting much needed cash back into the pockets of low and middle-income earning families.

The other trend is that basic public services have been neglected, whilst the council's appetite for self-promotion has skyrocketed. The administration is now in a position where its services for safeguarding vulnerable children have been found by independent inspectors to be so worryingly inadequate that a monthly report to a government minister is required. On the other hand, we have seen an endless stream of headline grabbing gimmicks from the council's media department, including the cringe-worthy job offer made to whichever contestant was runner-up in the BBC's The Apprentice show, before the winners were known. We have recommended cutting the publicity budget and putting the money directly into frontline services.

There has been a seismic shift by the Tories, away from providing high quality basic public services and towards running a corporation that is focussed on branding and image. Clearly we are seeing a jaded administration bored with the day job and looking for something more exotic that makes them look important - regrettably at the taxpayers' expense."