The Liberal Democrats are offering a new direction for Herts with their budget proposals.The Conservative route is taking another £13m from reserves to fund their spending proposals, and putting just £6m extra into restoring the damage to our roads and footways caused by the winter snow and ice. Liberal Democrats by contrast are pledging* a major assault on the bloated management costs being incurred at County Hall
* better value from the £700m of county council contracts.The savings would be used to fund:* another £12m on repairing the winter damage to roads
* higher spending on pavements
* more effective gully cleansing to combat flooding
* quicker and more effective pothole repairs, using ideas already in use in Lib Dem councils
* more frequent bus services
* a start on introducing 20 mph speed limits in residential areas.Rob Prowse commented, ‘We have been saying for two years that the council needed a radical cost-cutting exercise, now it is being started.‘Last year we said we would put a freeze on council tax. The Tories mocked us but are now following our line. Finally the seem to have got the message, but it is late and half-hearted. There is so much more the County Council could do but the un ambitious Tory administration has lost its way.